214 
FLORA OF ADEN. 
Description : — Diffuse, much-branched, from a few inches to 2 — 3 
feet high ; stems and branches more or less papillose, often nearly 
smooth and glabrous. Leaves \ — 2 inches long, elliptic-oblong, some- 
times slightly obovate ; petioles distinct, J ^ inch long, dilated at the 
base. 
Flowers in few- or many-flowered sessile or subsessile axillary 
fascicles ; bracteoles thinly membranous. Calyx deeply 5-lobed ; 
lobes ovate-oblong, coloured within, with a short apiculus at the back. 
Stamens 5. Styles 2. 
Capsules inch long, exserted, the cap with broad deflexed horns, 
mitriform. Seeds orbicular-reniform, compressed, rugulose, dull-black. 
Flowers: — August 1898 (Birdw.). 
Locality : — Aden (Birdw.). 
Distribution ; — Yemen, southern coast of Arabia (common weed in 
gardens, on sand and water-courses). Tropical Africa, India. 
3. Triantliema monogyna L. Mant. 69 ; Schweinf. Bull. Herb. 
Boiss. (1896) App. II, p. 169. 
Trianthema obcordata Roxb. Hort. Beng. 34; Wight Ic. t. 228. 
Trianthema pentandra ft obcordata DC Prodr. Ill, 352. 
Arabic name : — Riqma (Schweinf.). 
Description : — A prostrate somewhat succulent herb ; stems more or less 
angular, glabrous or pubescent, much branched. Leaves subflesby, 
obliquely opposite, unequal, the upper one of the pair the larger, f — 1J 
by f — 1 J inches, the lower § — $ by i — § inch, broadly obovate, rounded 
and often apiculate at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrous ; petioles 
J — i inch long, much dilated and membranous at the base, especially 
those of the smaller leaves in which the membranous enlargement forms 
a triangular pouch. 
Flowers solitary, sessile, almost concealed by the pouch of the petiole. 
Calyx-lobes ovate, acute. Stamens 10 — 20. Ovary truncate; style 1. 
Capsules small, almost concealed in the petiolar pouch, lid truncate, 
slightly concave, with 2 spreading teeth, carrying away at least one seed, 
the lower part 3 — 5-seeded. Seeds reniform, muriculate, dull-black. 
Locality Shaikh O’thman (Schweinf.). 
Distribution: — Throughout India, Ceylon, and most tropical 
regions. 
2 . Orygia Forsk. 
A rigid or somewhat wiry herb. Leaves alternate, rather fleshy, 
petiolate ; no stipules. 
