5. Stipules present, but sometimes reduced to a tuft of hairs. Embryo slightly curved.--Species 15. South Africa. Some are used as ornamental plants. =Anacampseros= L. Stipules absent. Embryo ring-shaped. Funicle of the seed with an appendage.--Species 4. Central and South Africa. Used as vegetables. (Plate 44.) =Talinum= Adans. FAMILY 74. BASELLACEAE Glabrous, twining herbs. Leaves alternate, broad, entire. Flowers in spikes, racemes or panicles, regular, hermaphrodite. Sepals 2, adnate to the corolla at the base. Corolla 5-cleft or 5-parted, imbricate in the bud, persistent. Stamens 5, opposite the corolla-lobes and affixed to them at the base. Filaments straight or bent outwards in the bud. Anthers 2-celled, turned outwards. Ovary superior, 1-celled. Ovule 1, basal, curved; micropyle inferior. Style 3-partite. Fruit indehiscent. Seed albuminous; embryo curved or spirally twisted.--Genera 2, species 4, Tropics. (Under _CHENOPODIACEAE_ or _PORTULACACEAE._) Flowers sessile, in spikes or panicles. Filaments broadened below. Stigmas entire. Pericarp membranous. Seed subglobose. Embryo spiral.--Species 3, two spontaneous in East Africa and Madagascar, the third cultivated in various tropical countries. They are used as vegetables, in medicine, and as dye-plants. =Basella= L. Flowers short-stalked, in racemes. Filaments thread-shaped. Stigmas forked. Pericarp somewhat fleshy. Seed sublenticular. Embryo semicircular.--Species 1. Cultivated in various regions and naturalized in the Mascarene Islands. Used as a vegetable or an ornamental plant. =Boussaingaultia= H. B. & K. SUBORDER CARYOPHYLLINEAE FAMILY 75. CARYOPHYLLACEAE Herbs or undershrubs, rarely shrubs. Leaves undivided. Perianth usually separated into calyx and corolla. Stamens 1-10. Ovary 1-celled or incompletely 2-5-celled, superior, rarely (_Sclerocephalus_) half-inferior. Ovules on basal or central placentas, with a distinct funicle, curved or inverted. Seeds albuminous; embryo usually curved.--Genera 45, species 280. (Including _PARONYCHIEAE_ or _ILLECEBRACEAE_, _ALSINACEAE_, and _SILENACEAE_.) (Plate 45.) 1. Sepals free or united up to the insertion of the stamens. Petals not distinctly clawed, sometimes wanting. Receptacle concave or small and rather flat. [Subfamily =ALSINOIDEAE=.] 2 Sepals united beyond the insertion of the stamens. Petals present, usually clawed. Receptacle stalk-like or small and flat. Styles free. [Subfamily =SILENOIDEAE=.] 35 2. Fruit indehiscent or irregularly bursting at the base, rarely at the top. Ovule 1, rarely ovules 2, and then sepals 5. Petals usually scale-like or wanting. Leaves stipulate, rarely exstipulate; in the latter case styles 2. 3 Fruit opening from the top by teeth or valves. Ovules numerous, rarely 2, and then sepals 4, very rarely ovule 1; in this case leaves exstipulate and styles 3. Petals usually perfectly developed. 16