268 FlCOldecZ. [Trtanthema. 



coloured, persistent; pet. o; stam. indef. (about 30), inserted 

 on cal.-tube; ov. nearly superior, 3-celled, with several ovules 

 in each cell, styles 3, distinct ; fruit a membranous, 3-celled 

 capsule, circumscissile near the base ; seeds few, reniform, 

 smooth, embryo curved into a ring. — Sp. 4; 1 in FL B. Ind. 



S. Fortulacastrum, L. Syst. Veg. ed. 10 (1759). Vankiru- 

 valai, T. 



S. fiedunculatum, Pers., Moon Cat. 39. S. repetis, Rottl., Thw. Enum. 

 23. C. P. 1098. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 659 (not given for Ceylon). Hk. Comp. Bot. Mag. ii. t. 

 23 (S. reftens). 



Herbaceous, stems prostrate or buried in the sand, 

 copiously rooting at the nodes, stout, glabrous, succulent, 

 much branched ; 1. numerous, opp., 1-1 J in., spathulate- 

 oblong or linear, very fleshy, tapering to base, obtuse, 

 glabrous, petiole short, much dilated and amplexicaul at base 

 with broad scarious margins (adnate stip. ?) ; fl. nearly \ in., 

 solitary, ped. as long as cal., glabrous ; cal. glabrous, segm. 

 lanceolate, cuspidate ; stam. shorter than cal. ; capsule shorter 

 than and enclosed in persistent cal.-segm., pointed ; seeds 

 smooth and polished, black. 



Sandy seashores; rather rare. Trincomalie (Gardner); Mannar; 

 Karativu; Colombo (Moon); Chilaw; Tangalle. Fl. Jan. Feb.; pink. 



Most Tropical and Sub-tropical coasts. Moon gives the Sinhalese name 

 as ' Maha-sarana.' The leaves are eaten in curries. 



The figure quoted (of the Carnatic plant) shows much shorter leaves, 

 and is generally smaller than our plant. 



2. TRIANTKEKA, L. 



Herbs with prostrate branches, 1. opp. or alt., without stip. 

 but petioles dilated at base, fl. small, axillary; cal.-tube long 

 or short, not connate with ov., segm. 5; pet. o; stam. 5, 10, 

 or 20 inserted at top of cal.-tube; ov. quite superior, I or 2- 

 celled, with few basal ovules, style 1 or 2 ; fruit a capsule, 

 membranous below, with a hard thick cap which is detached 

 by a transverse dehiscence and carries away with it one or 

 more seeds; seeds few, reniform, embryo curved into a ring. 

 — Sp. 10; 5 in Fl. B. Ind. 



Style 1. 



L. obovate; capsule about 8-seeded . . .1. T. monogyna. 



L. linear-lanceolate ; capsule 2-seeded . . . 2. T. TRIQUETRA. 

 Styles 2 ; capsule 4-seeded 3. T. decandra. 



