ALSINACEAE. 73 



longer than wide: fruits slender, 3-3.5 mm. thick. Hammocks. F. K. (Bah., 

 Cuba, Ant.) COCK-SPUR. 



FAMILY 8. TETRAGONIACEAE. CARPET-WEED FAMILY. 



Herbs, firm or succulent, or partially woody plants. Leaves alternate 

 or opposite, sometimes apparently whorled. Flowers mostly perfect or 

 polygamous, regular or nearly so. Calyx of 4 or 5 sepals. Corolla want- 

 ing (in our species). Androecium of 4 or 5 hypogynous or perigynous 

 stamens, or sometimes fewer or more numerous. Gynoecium of 2-several 

 united carpels. Ovary superior or partly inferior. Fruit a capsule or 

 pyxis, or baccate or nut-like. 



1. SESUVIUM L. Annual or perennial succulent herbs, or partially 

 woody plants. Leaves opposite: blades narrow. Sepals 5, petaloid, each 

 horned at the apex. Stamens 1-many, sometimes grouped. 



1. S. Portulacastrum L. Plants usually sparingly branched, the branches 

 often 1-2 m. long: leaf -blades spatulate to oblanceolate or rarely oblong, 

 1.5-4 cm. long: flowers short pedicelled: sepals 8-10 mm. long: capsule 9-10 

 mm. long. Coastal sand-dunes and shores of Bay Biscayne. F. K. (Ber., 

 Bah., Cuba, Ant.) SEA-PURSLANE. 



FAMILY 9. PORTULACACEAE. PURSLANE FAMILY. 



Herbs, mostly fleshy or succulent, or partially woody. Leaves alter- 

 nate or opposite: blades entire. Flowers perfect, regular. Calyx of 2 

 sepals. Corolla of 4 or 5, or rarely more, fugaceous petals. Androecium 

 of as many stamens as there are petals, or fewer or more. Gynoecium of 

 3 or more united carpels. Ovary superior or inferior, 1-celled. Fruit a 

 capsule or pyxis. 



1. PORTULACA [Tourn.] L. Succulent herbs. Leaves flat or terete. 

 Flowers erect. Sepals 2, deciduous. Petals 4-6. Style short; stigmas 3-8, 

 slender. PURSLAN T E. 



Leaves hairy In the axils ; blades terete. 



Seeds black, papillose : corolla pink or purple. 1. P. pllosa. 



Seeds brown, rugulose : corolla yellow. 2. P. phaeosperma, 



Leaves glabrous in the axils ; blades flat : corolla yellow. 3. P. oleracea^ 



1. P. pilosa L. Plants erect or diffuse, the branches villous: leaf-blades 

 terete, 1-2 cm. long: petals pink or purple, 4-6 mm. long: capsules mostly 

 4-5 mm. long. Roadsides and cultivated grounds. F. K. (Cuba, Ant.) 



2. P. phaeosperma Urban. Plants diffusely branched, the young parts pubes- 

 cent: leaves relatively few; blades nearly terete, 4-13 mm. long: flowers mostly 

 solitary: corolla yellow: capsules 3-4 mm. long: seeds over 0.5 mm. broad, 

 brown. Pinelands. F. K. (Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



3. P. oleracea L. Plants prostrate: leaf -blades cuneate to obovate, 1-3 cm. 

 long, rounded at the apex: petals yellow, 3-5 mm. long: capsules 5-r9 mm. 

 long. Pinelands, hammocks and cultivated grounds. Nat. of Eu. F. K. 

 (Ber., Bah., Cuba, Ant.) 



FAMILY 10. ALSINACEAE. CHICKWEED FAMILY. 



Herbs, sometimes woody at the base.* Leaves opposite: blades entire. 

 Flowers mostly perfect. Calyx of 4 or 5 persistent, distinct sepals. 

 Corolla of 4 or 5 clawless petals, or wanting. Androecium of twice as 



