^'"■('ilaca. rORTULACACE^.. yo 



lepressed annual ; with opposite spatiilato loavcfi, largo hyalino sLipul.'.s an.l flowere 

 I" 'lenso axillary cymose clusters 



in ( 



1. A. Coopen, lorr. S^ Gray. Slondcr, glabrous, tli." stems 2 or 3 inches Io.ik • 

 leaves ratli.T thick, vemloss, ^ to I inch long, the alternate ones only half as lon^' 

 attenuate to a slender base : stipules interpetiolar, ovate or roun.led, entire or lace'r- 

 ato: calyx 1 to 1| lines long, the tube at le„gth cp.Uling the lobes, apparently 

 .)-tootlie.l by the h.-rbaceous bas.>s of the conspieuous whiU-.-scarious lobes: lilamenU 

 very slender, much shorter than the lobes : ovary Jlattened at the top : utricle equal- 

 ling the tube, bursting irregularly at the apex. — J'roc. Am. Aca.l. vii. 331. 



SoutlicTstcrn California, in tl.o Colorado IV,s(>rt (Srhof/.) and near Cnnn. Cady (CoojKr), erowine 

 in dry sand ; also collected in Southern Arizona or Sonora. ^ ^ '' K'^'"""^ 



Order XVI. PORTULACACE^. 



More or less succulent horb.s, with simple and entire h-avea (either opposite or 

 aItornat.>), and regular but unsynim..trical perfect flowers ; tho sepals (except in 

 LevKvn) only 2, while tho petals aro from 2 to 5 or more ; tho stamens opposite the 

 petals when of the same number or fewer; the ovary 1-celled with few or many 

 campylotropous or amphitropous ovules on a free central placenta, in fruit becoming 

 capstdar ; the seeds with a slender embryo curved or coiled on the outside of farina- 

 ceous albumen, as in Cnryophyl/arecr. -.Ovary free and the part^ of the flower 

 hypogynous, except in Portulaca. Stamens sometimes indefinitely numcrou.s cora- 

 monly adhering to the base of the petals ; tlicse sometimes united at base. Style 

 2-8-cIeft; the stigmas occupying the inner face of the lobes. Stipules none or 

 scanous, or reduced to hairs. Flowers open only in sunshine or bright dayli-ht' in 

 many ephemeral, in some oi)ening for two or three days ° ' 



. Sepals 2. united below and a.lheront to the ovary, tl.e free upper portion at length .leciduous. 



1. Portulaca. Stamen. 7 to 20. Flower, nolitary. red or yellow. Cap.ule o,«.ninR hy a lid. 



* ♦ Sepals 2, distinet, i»ersistent : ovnry froe. 



4- Stylo 3-cleft : capsule 3-valved : .soihiIs eipml 



4. Montia. Stamens usually 3. Petals unequal. Seeds dull, tubereuiate. 



-I- +- Style 2-cleft : capsule 2.valved : sepals unerpial, hyaline. 

 «■ r^w^J^I^ Stamens .3. Petals 4. Stems simple, seape-like. 



6. Calyptridmm. Stan.enl. Petals 2. Stems hranehing. leafy. 



• ♦ ♦ Sepals 4 to 8, distinet, much imhrieated. 



7. LewiBia. StAmens many. Style 3-8-eleft. Petals 8 to Ifi. Scapes l-flowered. 



I.ANE. 



1. PORTULACA, Tourn. Pnnsi./ 

 Sepals 2, coherent at ba.se into a tube and adnate to tho ovarv. tho free limh 

 dmduous. Petals 4 to 0. Stamens 7 to 20, perigy nous will, the pet,;is. Stylo <leeply 

 3 - 8cleft. Capsule opening by a lid. See.la numerous, small.— Fleshy'diffuse or 

 ascending annuals ; with entire leavers, and axillary or terminal ephomemi yellow or 

 rose-colored flowers. 



