RTELLARiA. DECANDRIA. TRIGYNIA. 453 



acute, indistinctly 3-nerved. Petals cleft about half way down, 

 at first shorter than the calyx, but at lene;th one-third longer. 

 Stamens 8 — 10. Styles very often 4. Ca/isule ovate. 

 Hab. In bog meadows and wet woods. June. 



This species is nearly allied to S. graminca of Europe, of 

 which it may be only a variety. I entirely agree with Mr. 

 Nut tall that the genus MiCROPETALUM is founded on too 

 trifling characters to be separated from Stell\ria, to which 

 I have accordingly united it. The petals in the former, though 

 sometimes very minute, are, in two at least, of Mi chau x''s 

 species, as long, or longer, than the calyx. 



4. S. lanceolata* : very smooth, procumbent, or ascend- 

 ing ; leaves lanceolate, acute at each end ; petals about as 

 long as the calyx ; stigmas mostly 4, or wanting. M^CROPE- 

 TALUM lanceolaium P e r s. Si/n. I. p. 509. P ur s h FL I. 

 p. 320. Spergulastrum lanceolaium Mich. FL f. p. 275. 

 Arenaria s. Stellaria (anonyma.) Big. in Jitw-Eng. 

 Med. Jour. V. p. 334, 



Root perennial. Stem diffuse, branched, 6 — 8 inches long, very 

 smooth. Leaves an inch or an inch and a half long, a little 

 scabrous on the margin. Flowers axillary and terminal, soli- 

 tary, on long slender peduncles. Leaflets of the calyx lanceo- 

 late, acute, nerveless. Petals sometimes wanting, at first mucli 

 shorter than the calyx, but afterwards increasing in length, 

 bifid. Stamens 8 — 10. Styles generally 4, but often 3, and 

 rarely 5. Ca/isule ovate. 



Hab. In mountain bogs. On the Catskill Mountains. Kn c- 

 vels. Cambridge, New-York. Stevenson. Williams- 

 town, Massachusetts. Dewey. On the White Hills of New- 

 Hampshire. Bige lotv, 8cc. June. 



This species much resembles S. /lalustris of Europe. 



305. ARENARIA. L. 



Calyx 5-leave(l. Petals 5, undivided. Capsule 

 1-celled, many-seeded. Gen. pi. 774. Nu 1 1. Gen. 

 I. p. 291. Ju s s. p. 301. L a m. 111. t. 378. f. 2. 

 Nat. Ord. Caryophylle^/w^^. Sandwort. 



* Leaves without stipules at the base. 



I. A. peploides L. : stem dichotomotis ; leaves ovate, 

 acute, fleshy; calyx obtuse. W i 1 1 d. Spec. II. p. 71G. 

 Smil h FL Brit. II. p. 477. Eag. Bot. t. 189. GmeL 

 /"/. Si"6. IV. p. IGO. t. G4. Pursh F/. I.p.317. 



Root long, creeping, perennial. Stem decumbent, 8 — 12 inches 

 long, branched, angular, very smooth, thick ; branches erect. 



