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Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
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Portulacaceae Juss.

PORTULACACEAE

Annual to perennial herbs. Lvs exstipulate, often with axillary hairs, usually fleshy or succulent, simple, entire; basal lvs rosulate; stem lvs opposite or alternate. Infl. a terminal raceme, cyme, or panicle, or fls solitary. Fls hypogynous or perigynous, ⚥; calyx zygomorphic; corolla actinomorphic. Sepals 2, free or connate. Petals (4)-5-(6), free or united at base. Stamens 3-many. Ovary of (2)-3-(8) fused carpels, 1-locular; placentation basal. Stigmas (2)-3-(4); style 1. Fr. a capsule dehiscing by usually 3 valves, or circumscissile. Seeds usually black, smooth, sometimes tuberculate; embryo curved.

Key

1
Petals purple, red, orange or yellow; sepals acute
2
Petals white, rarely pink-tinged; sepals obtuse
3
2
Petals yellow, sometimes red or orange; capsule circumscissile; fls sessile in clusters
PORTULACA
Petals magenta or purple; capsule dehiscent by 3 valves; fls pedicellate in racemes
CALANDRINIA
3
Plants with a basal rosette; stems scapose with only 1 pair of opposite, often connate, lvs which is immediately below the infl.
CLAYTONIA
Plants without a distinct basal rosette; stems with many opposite or alternate lvs
4
4
Stems decumbent, not rooting at nodes; lvs decussate, hardly sheathing; anthers 3, introrse
MONTIA
Stems creeping, rooting at nodes; lvs alternate, sheathing at base; anthers 5, extrorse
NEOPAXIA†ζ

25 genera, 600 spp., cosmopolitan, especially America.

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