FIG MARIGOLD FAMILY. 199 



* * Erect, shrubby, or tree-like, cultivated in conservatories from W. 

 Indies and S. America ; berry edible. 



O. Ficus-Indica, Haw. Joints obovate, thick and heavy, 1- long, 

 with minute spines or none ; berry obovate, bristly. 



§ 2. Stamens longer than the erect crimson petals, shorter than the style. 



0. coccinellifera. Mill. Tree-like, 6"-10° high, with joints of the 

 branches obovate-oblong, 4'-12' long, spineless or nearly so, when young 

 with single recurved spines, pale ; berry red. One of the plants upon 

 which the cochineal insect feeds, whence the name. ISo'metimes cult. 

 Mex. and W. Indies. 



LIII FICOIDE^, FIG MARIGOLD FAMILY. 



Mostly fleshy herbs, generally with opposite or whorled 

 leaves and no stipules, very closely allied to the Pink and 

 Purslane Families ; differing in apetalous (in ours) flowers, 

 the 2- or more-celled capsule which is 2-several-seeded, the 

 stamens generally numerous (not so in ours), and seeds with 

 a slender curved embryo. A heterogeneous family, repre- 

 sented in gardens by the Ice Plants (of which the common 

 one is Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) and the Fig 

 Marigolds, of the same genus. 



1. SESUVIUM. Calyx 5-lobed, petal-like. Stamens 5 (in ours) on the calyx. Styles 



8-5. Capsule circumscissile. 



2. MOLLUGO. Calyx of 5 sei)arate sepals. Stamens 3-5, hypogynous. Stigmas 3. Cap- 



sule 3-valved. 



3. TETRAGOXIA. Calyx 4-lobed. Stamens (in ours^ in clusters. Styles and 1-ovulod 



cells few. Fruit hard and nut-like, horned, 3-8-seeded. 



1. SESUVIUM, SKA PURSLANE. (Name unexplained.) Pro.strate, 

 succult'iit, .sca.siik' herbs. 



S. pentaiidrum. Ell. Leaves oblong- or obovate-spatulate, obtuse ; 

 flowers axillary or terminal, sessile, small. Plants procumbent or some- 

 times jiartially erect. Seacoast, N. J., S. 



2. MOLLUGO, INDIAN CIIirivWEEl). (Ancient name.) Low. 

 weed-like plants with the habit of Ciiickweicd, and sometimes referred 

 to the Pink Family. 



M. verticillata, Linn. C.vuri;T Wkkd. Prostrate and forming flat 

 patches on the ground, not succulent ; the small, spatulate leaves are 

 clustered or wiiorled, and the 1-flowered pedicels form an umbel-like 



cluster ; flowers small and whitish. About cult, grounds. Tropics. ® 



3. TETRAGONIA. (Name Greek iovfour-au{/led, from shape of the 

 fruit.) Low, spreading herb.s, with broad and Hat, tliickish leaves, and 

 small flowers in their axils. 



T. expdnsa. Ait. New Zi:.\l.\m) Spixach. Occasionally cult, as a 

 Spinach ; leaves pale, triangular, or rhombic-ovate, with short margined 

 petioles. ® 



