Portulaca.] xix. portulAce^. (W. T. Thiselton Dyer.) 247 



2. P. Wl^htlana, Wall. Gat, 6845 ; nodal appendages whorled sca- 

 nous, leaves oblong or ovate-lanceolate. W. <Sc A. Prodr. 356. 



Westeen Peninsula ; in the Camatio, and Ceylon. 



Stems pouch branched, prostrate, stunted ; the approiimate joints naked below, 

 clothed with scarious appendages, and sparingly leafy above. Leaves \ in., alternate, 

 acute, margins recurved; nodal appendages about six in a whorl, equalling the leaves, 

 inibncate, lanceolate, acute, persistent. Mowers terminal, solitary, sessile, surrounded 

 by a few leaves and tufted appendages. Sepals about ^ in., broadly ovate-lanceolate. 

 Petals 5, obovate, with netted veins. Stamens 5 (or more ?) shorter than the petals. 

 Style filiform, 4-fid to ^ its length. Seeds numerous, granulate. 



3. P. QuadHfida, Linn.j annual, nodal appendages pilose, leaves ovate 

 or ovate-lanceolate. Wight III. n. %. \QQ ; Wall. Cat 6843. P. meridiana, 

 Zim.; Rooah. Fl, tnd. ii. 463. P. geniculata, Royle 111. 221, lUecebrum 

 verticillatum, Burm. Ind. 66 ; Rheede Sort. Mai. s. t. 31. 



Throaghont the warmer parts of India and Ceylon. — Dibtkib. Tropical Asia and 

 Africa. 



Sterns diffuse, filiform, rooting at the nodes. Leaves J-J in., opposite, very shortly 

 petloled ; nodal appendages more or less copious. Flowers terminal, solitary. Galyx- 

 tuhe 4-immersed in the extremity of the axis, surrounded by a 4-leaved involucre and 

 long silky hairs. Petals 4 (yellow). {Stamens 8-12.) Style filiform, 4-fid to the 

 middle. _ Seeds minutely tubercled. — Stunted specimens have the habit of Polygonum 

 herniarioides which has been mist-aken for this species. 



** Leaves terete. 



4. P. tuberosa, Roocb. Hort. Being. 91 ; Fl. Ind. ii. 464 ; perennial stems 

 short spreading from a tuberous root. P. cristata, Ram. and pilosa, Hb. 

 Madr. in Wall. Gat. 6844, not of Linn. 



Behae, SamUton ; Sindh, Stocks ; W'sstehn PeninScla ; Ceylon, 

 Root 2-3 in,, slightly fusiform, with a few branches towards the extremity, villous. 

 Stems 2-8 in., spreading. Leaves J-J in., alternate, fleshy, -linear ; Bodal appendages 

 J in., of sparingly tufted brown hairs. PloiDers (yellow) in smaU terminal clusters, sur- 

 rounded by about 8 leaves and tufted hairs. Stamens 20-qo . Style filiform, 5-cleft. 

 Sesds black, granular. — Closely allied to the Australian P. napiformis, F. Muell. 



5. P. sufiruticosa, Wight in Wall. Cat. 6842 ; annual, stems erect. 

 F. & A. Prodr. 356. 



Western Peninsula, Wight. 

 ' Root annual, woody, divided. Stem about 1 ft., subligneous at the base, breaking up 

 into numerous ascending branches. Leaves about 4 in., acute ; nodal appendages 

 setose, scanty, very short, brown. Flowers in small terminal clusters, surrounded by 

 about 8 leaves, and setose appendages equalling about J the base of the capside. 

 {Stamens about 16. Style 5-oleft to the middle, W. & A.). Seeds very small, with con- 

 centric rows of minute tubercles. — -Allied to the tropical African P. foliosa, Ker, which 

 diflers chiefly in habit, from the production of lateral flower-bearing shoots overtopping 

 the primary terminal heads. 



.2. TAZiXIVVni, Adans. 



Succulent herbs or shrubs. Leaves flat, exstipulate. Flowers racemed or 

 panicled. Petals 5, hypogynous. Stamens oo . Ovary superior ; style 3-fid ; 

 ovules 00 . Gapsule globose or ovoid, 2-3-valved. Seeds subglobose or com- 

 pressed, strophiolate. — Distrib. Warm countries throughout the world. 



1. T. ouneifoUum, Wittd. ; Roxb. Fl. Ind.ii.465. T. indicum.F, <fc.(li 

 Prodr. 356; Wall. Gat. 6847. 

 NiPAL, WaUich; WesteKn Pekisscla, Wight.— Dotbib. Arabia, Africa. 



