XXXVII. 3. THE HUDSONIA. 519 



in fruit. Petals, 5. Stamens 9 to 30. Capsule oblong-obovate, 

 slightly 3-sided, 1-celled, 3-valved, usually 3-seeded. 



Sp. 1. The Downy Hudsonia. H. tornentbsa. Nuttall. 

 Figured in Sweet's Cistaceae, Plate 57. 



A creeping, under- ground stem extending to no great distance, 

 and throwing out many long, tapering roots, branching with 

 thread-like fibrils. The stem rises a few inches from the ground, 

 erect or bending downwards, and throwing out innumerable 

 short branches, thickly clothed with a sad, whitish or glaucous 

 down, and close set leaves of the same color. Leaves very 

 short, lanceolate, pointed, imbricate, and closely embracing the 

 stem, — covered with down of a whitish color, through which the 

 greener surface indistinctly appears. 



Among these appear in May, yellow flowers, on very short, 

 slender stalks, at the ends of the little branches near the extre- 

 mity of the stem. The sepals look like the continuation of the 

 leaves, being covered with down without, but yellow or reddish 

 within. The petals are yellow. Stamens from 9 to 18, with 

 roundish anthers. It flowers from May to July. 



In some places near the coast, in Essex County, this plant 

 covers the sand, where scarcely any other would vegetate. 



Sp. 2. The Heath-like Hudsonia. H. ericoides. L. 

 Figured in Sweet's Cistaceas, Plate 36. 



This is much less downy than the last, and the slender, awl- 

 like leaves, three or four lines long, spread a little, and are cov- 

 ered with longer and thinner hairs. It is from six to twelve 

 inches high. The old, persistent leaves give the stem a brown 

 color. The flowers are like those of the last species, and have 

 from 9 to 15 stamens. 



It is found in Martha's Vineyard and on Nantucket, flowering 

 in Mav and after. 



