302 
36. PORTULACACEJE. 
first prostrate and trailing, then bushy diffusely erect. L. 
roundish-oval subspathulate obtuse attenuated at the base into 
a short stalk, very variable in size, from 2-6 or even 12 lines 
long and 2-4 or 8 broad, at first all opposite in pairs ; hence 
var. 3- diphyllum DC. and WB. 1. c. seems scarcely worth dis- 
tinction. Stip. inconspicuous minute membranous ovate acute 
often acuminate and hair-pointed. FI. very numerous in large 
dense crowded terminal cymes or corymbs covering the whole 
pi. Sep. horned or mucronate and hooded, with a broad gr. 
serrulate keel and point, the margins pellucid white membra- 
nous. Pet. white inconspicuous half the length of sep. lanceo- 
late obtuse or retuse i. e. minutely notched, after fl. nearly 
entire. Stam. only 3. Style single ; stigma subcapitate sub- 
trilobed. 
Order XXXYI. PORTULACACEiE. 
Fl. perfect mostly regular. Cal. persistent in part or wholly, 
2- 5-partite, lobes imbricate in bud. Pet. often 0, 3-5 or 6 very 
fugacious and membranous, soon cohering and deliquescent at 
the tips, inserted at base of the cal. -tube. Stam. as many as 
and opposite the pet. often more or fewer but always connate with 
them ; fil. free distinct. Ov. 1-8-celled. Style 1 or 0 ; stigmas 
3- 8. Caps. 1-8-celled bursting either all round transversely in 
the middle into two halves, or by 3-5 valves stellately at top ; 
rarely indehiscent ; placenta central. Seeds mostly numerous 
and with long funicles from the base of the cells of caps. Em- 
bryo curved round the central albumen. — Succulent herbs or 
shr. L. entire mostly alternate without stip. or with only an 
axillary membrane or tuft of hairs. Pet. very ephemeral or 0. 
* S<p. 2, imbricate in bud. 
1. Portulaca. Cal. 2-partite coherent downwards with the 
ov., the upper bivalve part or limb separating all round 
from the lower and falling off with the lid of caps. Pet. 
4-6 equal free or cohering only at their base, sometimes 
abortive. Stam. 8-15. Ovary roundish. Style 0 ; stigmas 
3-8 elongate. Caps, subglobose 1 -celled bursting all round 
in the middle, Deeds numerous attached to the central 
placenta by long persistent funicles. 
* * Sep. 3-5, snbvalvate. 
+|2. Tetragonia. Cal. persistent 3-5- mostly 4-fid, its 
tube connate with the ov., lobes horned. Pet. 0. Stam. 
few variable in number. Styles 3-8. Ov. 3-9-celled ; 
ovules 1 in each cell. Fr. coated by the fleshy cal., woody 
