94 XVIl. PORTULACE^. iroituLacu. 



,2. P. napiformis (turnip-like root), F. v. M. Herb.; Benth. Fl. Amtr. i. 169. 

 "Karedilla," Cloneurry, Roth. Glabrous, with decumbent or erect stems of 6in. 

 to near 1ft., the tap-root thickening into an oblong tuber. Leaves alternate, 

 linear, succulent, apparently terete, f to lin. long. Stipular hairs exceedingly 

 minute. Flowers smaller than in P. oleracea, usually 3 together, between 2 to 4 

 involucral leaves, but not quite sessile. Stamens about 16. Style rather long, 

 4-cleft at the top. Capsule small, contracted into a short stipes. Seeds smaller 

 than in P. oleracea, black and shining, finely granulated. 



Hab.: Leiohhardt district. 



The species is allied to the East Indian P. tuberosa, Eoxb. but the flowers and fruits are much 

 smaller, not so closely sessile, and there are not the long stipular and involucral hairs of that 

 species. — Benth. 



3. P. australis (Australian), Endl. Atakta, 1, t. 6; Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 169. 

 Apparently decuipbent and much branched, the stipular and involucral hairs 

 copious, but otherwise glabrous. Leaves alternate, oblong, elliptical, thick, 

 under jin. long. Flowers yellow, 1 or 2 together, sessile between 2 to 4 in- 

 volucral leaves. Stamens numerous (Eockhampton specimens 20). Style 

 elongated, 5 or 6-cleft (Eockhampton specimens 4 or 5). Seeds shining, 

 granulate, the funicles united into as many clusters as styles. 



Hab.: Leiohhardt district and Gulf of Carpentaria. 



It is not improbable that both this species and P. filifolia may prove to be forms of the tropical 

 African P. foliosa. — Benth. 



4. P. filifolia (thread-like leaves), F. v. M. Fragm. i. 169 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 i. 169. Annual, with erect or decumbent stems of J to 1ft., the stipular and 

 involucral hairs long and copious, but otherwise glabrous. The roots sometimes 

 thick, but never tuberous. Leaves alternate, linear-terete, almost filiform, | to 

 lin. long. Flowers rather large, yellow, 1 to 3 together, sessile between 2 to 4 

 involucral leaves. Sepals 2 to 2J lines, and petals twice as long. Stamens 

 numerous. Style elongated, usually 4-cleft. Seeds shining, granulate, the 

 funicles united in as many clusters as styles. 



Hab.: In the interior common. 



This may be a variety of P. australis, and only appears to differ from the tropical African P. 

 foliosa in its more slender leaves, and from P. tuberosa, Boxb., in the roots not tuberous and in 

 the large flowers. — Benth. 



5. P. digyna (two-branched style), F. v. M. Fragm. i. 170 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 i. 170. A procumbent, glabrous annual of a few inches, with dichotomous or 

 opposite branches. Leaves all opposite, ovate obovate or nearly orbicular, 2 to 3 

 lines long, very shortly petiolate. Stipular hairs very short. Flowers pink, very 

 small, pedicellate, 1 to 3 together, between 2 or 4 involucral leaves, forming 

 dichotomous leafy cymes. Sepals not 2 lines long. Petals 4, rather longer. 

 Stamens about 10. Style long, with 2 long linear stigmatic branches. Ovules 

 about 6, the funicles forming 2 clusters. Capsule elongate-conical, covered in the 

 upper pairt with oblong papillae. Seeds 1, 2, or 8, black, smooth, and shining. 



Hab.: Northern interior and Stanthorpe. 



6. P. Oligosperma (few-seeded), F. v. M. Fragm. i. 170 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 i. 170. A little slender annual of 2 or scarcely Bin. with numerous opposite 

 branches. Leaves all opposite, . oblong, narrow-lanceolate or linear and semi- 

 terete, 8 to 4 lines long. Stipular hairs none or quite microscopic. Flowers 

 very small, pink, terminal, solitary and closely sessile within 2 or 4 involucral 

 leaves, which do not exceed the (jalyx-tube, so that the flower appears pedicellate, 

 with 4 calyx-like braqts-at th§ summit of the pedicel. Sepals scarcely 1 ling 



