XXVII. POKTULACE.E. 261 



. 



(Portulaca), 1-5-celled, many-ovuled ; ovules ascending, fixed to a basilar placenta, 

 or pendulous to the central angle of the cells ; stigmas 2-5. Capsule opening trans- 

 versely by circular dehiscence. Fleshy glabrous herbs with opposite or alternate 

 leaves, often stipulate, or bearing stipuliform hairs in the leaf-axils. Flowers axil- 

 lary, sessile, solitary, or glomerate, in spiked or umbelled cymes. 



PEINCIPAL GENERA. 

 * Portulaca. Sesuvium. 1 Trianthema. 



TitiBE III. AIZOIDE^J. 



Calyx 4-5-fid or -partite. Corolla 0. Stamens 5-15, inserted singly or in pairs, or 

 in bundles, on the calyx, between its segments. Ovary free, with 2-5 l-2-oo -ovuled 

 cells ; ovules pendulous to the central angle of the cells ; stigmas 5-2. Capsule 

 loculicidal. Herbaceous or frutescent plants, covered with simple or bi-acuminate 

 hairs. Leaves alternate or opposite. Flowers axillary, sessile. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 Aizoon. Galenia. Plintluis. 



ALLIED TRIBE. MOLLUGINE^. 



Calyx 5-4-partite, or 5-fid, persistent. Petals 0, or very numerous, ligulate, 

 sub-perigyuous. Stamens hypogynous or perigynous, equal and alternate with the 

 sepals, or fewer, or more, or indefinite, distinct, or aggregated in bundles, the outer 

 alternate with the calyx-segments. Ovary free, many-ovuled, 2-3-5-celled ; ovules 

 fixed to the inner angle of the cells by separate funicles, or rarely solitary and 

 basilar (Acrosanthes) . Capsule usually angular or compressed, loculicidal. Seeds as 

 in Portulacece. Herbaceous or sub-woody plants, glabrous, or covered Avith stellate 

 hairs. Leaves opposite or alternate, or fascicled and pseudo-whorled, often stipulate. 

 Flowers crowded in racemes or cymes, or in axillary or leaf-opposed umbellules, 

 rarely solitary (Acrosanthes). 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 



Orygia. Gleinus. Mollugo. Pharnaceum. Acrosanthes. 



Psamnotrophe. Adenogramme. Giesekia. Lirneum. 



Portulacece approach Tetragoniece, Mesembryanthemece, and Paronychiecs (see these families). The 

 tribe of Molluginece is also connected with Portulacea by habit, the entire fleshy leaves, inflorescence, 

 perigynous corolla, often 0, the isostemonous or indefinite stamens, distinct or aggregated into bundles 

 alternate with the sepals, and especially by the structure of the ovule and the nature of the albumen. 



1 In Bentham and Hooker's ' Genera Plantarum,' celled ovary, is placed with the other Aizoidea under 



Portulaca, from its disepalous calyx and 1-celled ovary, Ficoidete, and referred to the Calycifloral sub-order of 



is regarded as a very close ally of Montia and the other Dicotyledons. No doubt the Ficoidea and Portulacea 



disepalous Portulaccff, included in this work under the are members of one great group (which should also 



tribe Calandrinicce ; whilst Stsuvium (and Trianthema} include Tetraffonic<e),l)\it the exigencies of a linear clas- 



wjth its 5-merous isomerous perianth and several- sification render it convenient to keep them apart. En. 



