PORTULACACE^. (PURSLANE FAMILY.) 97 



16. M OL LUGO, L. INDIAN-CHICKWISED. 



Sepals 5, white inside. Petals none. Stamens hypogynous, 5 and alternate 

 with the sepals, or 3 and alternate with the 3 cells of the ovary. Stigmas 3. 

 Pod 3-celled, 3-valved, loculicidal, the partitions breaking away from the many- 

 seeded axis. Low homely annuals, much branched ; the stipules obsolete. 

 (An old Latin name for some soft plant.) 



1. M. verticillta, L. (CARPET-WEED.) Prostrate, forming patches; 

 leaves spatulate, clustered in whorls at the joints, where the 1-flowered pedicels 

 form a sort of sessile umbel ; stamens usually 3. Sandy river-banks, and cul- 

 tivated grounds. June- Sept. (An immigrant from farther south.) 



ORDER 19. PORTUL-ACACE^J. (PURSLANE FAMILY.) 



Herbs , with succulent leaves, an<f regular but unsymmetrical flowers ; viz., 

 sepals usually fewer than the petals ; the stamens opposite the petals when 

 of the same number, but often indefinite : otherwise nearly as Chickweeds. 

 Sepals 2, rarely 3 or 5. Petals 5, or sometimes none. Stamens mostly 

 5 - 20. Styles 3-8, united below, or distinct, stigmatic along the inside. 

 Pod 1 - 5-celled, with few or many campylotropous seeds rising on stalks 

 from the base, or from a central placenta. Embryo curved around mealy 

 albumen. Insipid and innocent herbs, with entire leaves. Corolla open- 

 ing only in sunshine, mostly ephemeral, then shrivelling. 



* ANOMALOUS PORTULACACE^!. Sepals 5, bearing the stamens. 



1. Sesuvium. Petals none. Stamens 5 -60. Pod 3 -5-celled, opening across by a lid. 



* * TRUE PORTULACACE^l. Sepals (2) fewer than the petals : pod 1 -celled. 



2. Port ulaca. Stamens 7 - 20, on the partly adherent calyx. Pod opening by a lid. 



3. Talinum. Stamens more numerous than the petals, hypogynous. Pod many-seeded. 



4. Claytonia. Stamens as many as the hypogynous petals, and attached to their base. 



Pod3-6-seeded. 



1. SESUVIUM, L. SEA PURSLANE. 



Calyx 5-parted, purplish inside, persistent, free. Petals none. Stamens 5 - 

 60, inserted on the calyx. Styles 3-5, separate. Pod 3 - 5-celled, many-seeded, 

 circumscissile, the upper part falling off as a lid. Prostrate maritime herbs, 

 with succulent stems, opposite leaves, and axillary or terminal flowers. (An 

 unexplained name.) 



1. S. Portulac&strum, L. Root perennial; leaves lanceolate-oblong, 

 flattish ; flowers sessile or short-peduncled ; stamens many. Coast of New 

 Jersey and southward. July - Sept. 



2. PORTULACA, , Tourn. PURSLANE. 



Calyx 2-cleft ; the tube cohering with the ovary below. Petals 5, rarely 6, 

 inserted on the calyx with the 7-20 stamens, fugacious. Style mostly 3-8- 

 parted. Pod 1 -celled, globular, many-seeded, opening transversely, the upper 

 part (with the upper part of the calyx) separating as a lid. Fleshy annuals, 

 with mostly scattered leaves. (An old Latin name, of unknown meaning. ) 

 7 



