nalamlrini,,.] XVII. PORTULACE^. 97 



3. C> polyandra (sbamens numerous), Benth. Fl, Aiistr. i. 172. Annual, 

 with decumbent or ascending branches of 6in. to 1ft. Leaves few, chiefly in the 

 lower part of the stem, thick and fleshy, the lowest broadly linear or almost 

 spathulate, the upper ones narrow-linear, occasionally almost opposite, mostly 1 

 to l^in. long. Flowers of a red-purple, rather large, few together in a terminal 

 raceme, the pedicels lin. or more. Bracts small and scarious. Sepals very 

 broad, rather obtuse, thin and slightly coloured, with scarcely prominent veins. 

 Petals narrow-obovate, about ^in. long. Stamens very numerous, irregularly 

 united at the base ; anthers short. Style divided to the base into 3 linear 

 stigmatio branches. Capsule ovoid or oblong, 3-valved. Seeds very numerous 

 and small, black, minutely pitted. — Talinum polyanclrum , Hook. Bot. Mag. t. 4833. 



Hab.; In the interior. 



4. C> pleopetala (petals numerous), F. i: M. Fraym. x. 70. A glabrous 

 perennial, the radical leaves crowded, somewhat broad-linear, the stem ones short 

 or wanting. Raceme of few or many flowers. Bracts very short, scarious. 

 Pedicels spreading or refracted. Sepals persistent, ovate or orbiculate-cordate. 

 Petals 8 or 9, 2 or 3 times larger than the calyx, cuneate-oblong. Stamens 

 numerous ; anthers ovate-rotund. Style scarcely any. Stigma 4-lobed, 

 pubescent. Capsule cylindrical-oblong. Many-seeded 4-valved. Seeds brown, 

 reniform-ovate, shining, smooth. 



Hab.: Bowen Downs and Mueller's Range. 



5. C. pusilla (small), Lindl. in. Mitch. Trop. Austr, 360 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. 

 i. 174. A small annual, the stems ascending from 1 to 3 or 4in. or rarfely higher. 

 Leaves radical or on the lower part of the stem, about ^ to lin. long, much more 

 succulent than in C. calyptmta, oblong or linear, mostly petiolate, but dilated and 

 stem-clasping at the base. Racemes occupying a great part of the stems, but 

 loose and few-flowered, with minute scarious bracts, except the lower ones, which 

 are sometimes leafy. Flowers apparently pink, like those of C. calyptrdta, except 

 that the sepals are very broad and obtuse, coloured, with scarious margins, 

 attaining 1\ line when in fruit. Petals 5 or 6, oblong, stamens 5 to 8 ; anthers 

 small. Style divided to the base into 3 short, thick, stigmatic branches. Capsule 

 narrow, longer than the calyx, opening in 3 valves. Seeds numerous, much 

 smaller than in C. calyptrata and minutely pitted. 



Hab.: On the Maranoa. 



6. C. VOlubiliS (twining) Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 174. Allied to C. pusilla, and 

 with that species considered by F. v. Mueller as a Variety of ( '. calyptrata, but the 

 seeds and flowers are different. Leaves crowded on a short, succulent,: branching 

 stock, linear-oblong, 1 to l|in. long, narrowed below the middle, but dilated at 

 the base. Flowering branches twining, almost leafless, except minute scarious 

 bracts. Pedicels flexuose, 2 to 6 lines long. Sepals very obtuse, broad and 

 succulent, 1| line when in flower, 2 lines when in fruit. Petals about as long, 

 withering into a calyptra on the young fruit. Stamens 8 to 10, the filaments 

 slightly dilated at the base, but scarcely united; anthers sma,ll. Style cleft almost 

 to the base into 3 linear stigmatic branches. Capsule acuminate, twice as long as 

 the sepals. Seeds strongly pitted. 



Hab.: Stanthorpe. 



7. C. calyptrata (withered petals form a calyptera or covering to the fruit), 

 Hook./, in Hook. le. PI. t. 296 ; Benth. Fl. Austr. i. 174. A small annual, with 

 petiolate linear-oblong or linear-spathulate radical leaves. Stems branching, 

 prostrate or ascending, from 1 or 2 to 7 or Sin. long. Leaves few, smaller than 

 the radical ones, varying from linear to almost obovate. Flowers very small, in 

 a loose flexuose raceme, the pedicels 2 to 6 lines long, reflexed after flowering. 



