Polycarpaea
(from poly, many, and karpos, a fruit; alluding to the numerous seeds). SYNS. Hagaea, Lahaya, Mollia, Polycarpia. ORD. Caryophylleae. A genus comprising about two dozen species of greenhouse or hardy, annual or perennial, erect or rarely diffuse herbs, natives of tropical and extra-tropical regions, one being broadly dispersed over tropical America. Flowers often numerous, disposed in terminal, paniculate, effuse or contracted, sometimes capitate cymes; sepals, five, white rose, or purple, scarious; petals five, entire, bidentate, or rarely laterally denticulate. Leaves narrow-linear or rarely ovate, fasciculate, often pseudo-verticillate. The species are of easy culture in light, sandy loam. The annuals may be increased by seeds, sown on a hotbed, or in the open border, in spring; and the perennials by cuttings. The species are not much known to cultivation; those mentioned below are hardy.
P. aristata (awned). fl. white, in corymbose cymes. June and July. l. usually six in a whorl, linear-lanceolate; young ones silky, mucronated by an awn; old ones nearly glabrous, and almost awnless. h. 3in. to 6in. Canary Islands, 1780. Perennial.
P. gnaphalioides (Gnaphalium-like). fl. white, crowded into terminal, sub-capitate cymes. June and July. l. oblong, hoarytomentose. Stems suffruticose, prostrate. North Africa, 1818. Perennial. P. latifolia (broad-leaved). fl. white; cymes terminal, corymbosely capitate. June to August. l. obovate, mucronated by an awn; cauline ones usually six in a whorl, those of the branches opposite. Stems suffruticose, diffuse. h. 3in. Teneriffe, 1810. Perennial.
P. Memphitica (Memphitic). fl. white; petals quite entire; cymes terminal, few-flowered. July. l. usually six in a whorl, oval-oblong, narrowed into the petiole. Stems diffuse, branched, villous. h. 6in. Egypt, 1828. Annual.