184 XXXIII. PICOIDEAE. [Mesembryanthemum. 



1. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM, Linn. 



Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary ; limb usually 5-lobed, persistent. Petals 



numerous, in one or more series. Stamens in several series. Ovary inferior, 



with 5 or more cells, rarely few ; ovules numerous ; styles 4 or more, free or 



connate at the base. Capsule wholly included in the calyx-tiibe, flat above and 



dehiscing loculicidally. Seeds numerous, minute; testa crustaceous. Usually 



creeping or prostrate, rarely erect, herbs, or sufEruticose. Leaves opposite, 



usually succulent, exstipulate, often angular. Flowers terminal or axillary. 



A large genus, the species of which are abundant in South Africa. A few are found on the 

 coasts of Chili, California, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. Btym. From the Greek, 

 signifying midday and a flower, in allusion to the flowers of many species expanding at midday. 



Leaves above lin. in length. Peduncles exceeding the leaves .. .. 1. M. aequilaterale. 



Leaves less than lin. in length. Peduncles shorter than the leaves . . . . 2. M. australe. 



Leaves Sin. long, acute. Flowers large, terminal, yellow . . . . .. * M. edule. 



1. M. aequilaterale, Haw., Misc. Nat. 77. Stems prostrate or rarely 

 suberectj woody at base. Leaves opposite, stem-clasping, 1 lin. —Sin. long, suc- 

 culent, linear, triquetrous, sometimes compressed laterally, acute. Peduncles 

 lin.— Sin. long, winged, thickened upwards. Calyx-tube narrow - turbinate ; 

 lobes 5, two much longer than the others. Corolla lin. in diameter or more. 

 Styles 6-10. Ovary 6-10-celled.— DC, Prod. iii. 429; Hook, f., M. Tasm. i. 

 146; Benth., Fl. Austr. iii. 324. 



NORTH Island : littoral. Napier (identified in the absence of flowers) : Castlepoint, T. K. 

 Deo. to Feb. Also in Australia, Chili, and California, 



2. M. australe, Sol. ex G. Forst. Prod. n. 523. Stems creeping and 



rooting at the nodes, 1ft.- 5ft. long. Leaves opposite, connate at the base, 



triquetrous, flat above, keeled or convex beneath, acute, fleshy, fin.— Ijin. long. 



Peduncles solitary, axillary or terminal, stout, usually shorter than the leaves, 



which are often crowded in short axillary shoots. Calyx-tube turbinate, two of 



the lobes longer than the others and fleshy. Petals spreading, fin.- lin. in 



diameter when fully open. Styles 5—8. Ovary 5-8-celled. — Ait. Hort. Kew. 



ed. 1, ii. 187; A. Cunn., Precurs. n. 522; Hook, f., Fl. N.Z. i. 76; Handbk. 



83; Benth., Fl. Austr. iii. 324. 



From the KERMADEC Islands to Southland : common on all the coasts. CHATHAM 

 Islands. Pigs' faces. Nov. to March. Also in Australia and the South Pacific, Lord Howe Island 

 and Norfolk Island. 



* M. edule, L., Syst. ed. x. 1060. Stems stout, spreading, prostrate or sub- 

 erect, angular. Leaves opposite, fleshy, about Sin. long, shortly connate at base, 

 linear, triquetrous, concave above ; keel serrulate. Flowers large, terminal, yellow, 

 sessile, or peduncle short and thick. Calyx-tube turbinate, the two larger lobes 

 l-J-in.-2in. long, triquetrous, fleshy. Styles 8-10. Ovary 8-10-celled. 



NORTH Island : often planted to fix blown sand, and has become naturalised in many 

 localities. Hottentot fig. Dec. to Feb. Cape of Good Hope. 



2. TETRAGONIA, Linn. 

 Calyx-tube adnate with the ovary at the base ; lobes S, 4, or 5. Petals 0. 

 Stamens few or many, perigynous, free. Ovary inferior, 2-8-celled ; styles 



