Lythrum.] XXVIII. LYTHRARIEL. 157 
and decumbent at the base, or, in starved specimens, erect and simple. 
Leaves sessile, narrow, and entire, barely half an inch long; the lower 
ones opposite, the upper ones alternate. Flowers small and solitary in the 
axils of the upper leaves; the calyx scarcely more than a line long, with 
minute teeth ; the petals purple, about half that length. 
In moist or muddy places, especially those which are occasionally inun- 
dated. Widely spread over central and southern Europe, all across central 
_ Asia, in North and South America, South Africa and Australia, but not so 
common in Europe as the L. Salicaria. In Britain but few localities are 
recorded for it in a few of the southern and eastern counties of England. 
fl, summer. 
II. PEPLIS. PEPLIS. 
Small glabrous annuals, with opposite entire leaves, and minute axillary 
flowers. Calyx shortly campanulate, with 6 external and 6 internal 
smaller teeth, Petals very minute or none. Stamens 6. Style very 
short, scarcely distinct. Capsule globular. 
A genus of very few species, widely spread over Europe, Asia and 
Africa. 
1. P. Portula, Linn. (fig. 356). Common Peplis, Water’ Purslane.— 
A slightly branched annual, creeping and rooting at the base, seldom above 
2 or 3 inches high, but sometimes many plants grow together in broad 
tufts or patches. Leaves obovate or oblong, seldom half an inch long, 
tapering into a stalk at the base. Flowers sessile in the axils of nearly all 
the leaves. Capsules enclosed in the somewhat enlarged calyx, but seldom 
attaining a line in diameter. 
In wet ditches, and moist, watery places, in central and southern 
Kurope to the Caucasus, extending northward to Scandinavia, but not 
recorded from Siberia or central Asia. Frequent in England and Ireland, 
less so in Scotland. 7. all summer. 
XXIX. CUCURBITACEA, THE GOURD FAMILY. 
Herbs, with long stems, prostrate, or climbing by means of 
axillary tendrils; alternate, palmately-veined leaves; and 
unisexual flowers, either solitary or in bunches or racemes in 
the axils of the leaves. Calyx 5-toothed. Petals united in a 
single 5-lobed corolla or rarely distinct, inserted in the margin 
of the calyx. Stamens in the male flowers inserted on the 
calyx or corolla; anthers curved, forming a wavy line on the 
short, thick filaments, which are sometimes free, but often so 
combined as that the number of stamens has been differently 
described as 5 or 3 only, or sometimes all the filaments form 
but one mass. Ovary in the females inferior, divided into 3 or 
5 cells. Stigmas from 3 to 5, 2-cleft, either sessile or supported 
on a style. fruit succulent or juicy, either indehiscent or 
bursting open elastically when ripe. 
