CARTOPHYLLACE.E. 61 STELLARIA. 



2. SPE'RGULA. 

 Sepals 5, nearly distinct ; petals 5, entire ; stamens 5 — 10; 

 styles 3—5, capsule superior, ovate, 1-celled, 5-valved. 



Lat. spergo, to scatter ; from the dispersion of its seeds. Annual herbs, with 

 flowers in ioose cymes. 



1. S. arve'nsis. 



Leaves whorled ; stalks of the fruit reflexed ; seeds reniform, angular, rougli. 

 A common weed, growing- in cultivated grounds, and flowering from June to 

 Sept. Root small. Stem round, branched, with swelling joints, beset with 

 copious, linear, whorled leaves, somewhat downy and viscid. Two stipules 

 under cacli whorl. Cyme forked, the terminal (central) peduncles bending 

 down as the fruit ripens. Petals white, longer than the calyx, capsule twice 

 as long. Seeds many, with a membranous margin. Corn Spvrry. Tares. 



2. S. RUBRA. T. <^. G. Arenaria rubra. L. 

 Stems decumbent, much branched; leaves linear, slightly mucronate ; stip- 



7z?cs ovate, membranous, cleft ; se/;a/s lanceolate, with scarious margins ; petals 

 red or rose-color; seeds compressed, angular, roughish. A common and va- 

 riable species. Found in sandy fields, iScc. Steins a few inches in length, 

 slender, smooth, spreading on the ground, with small narrow leaves, and dry 

 sheathing stipules. Flowers small, on hairy stalks. May — Oct. 



Common Sand-icort. 



ORDER XXIV. CARYOPHYLLACE^. The Pink Tribe. 



Cfd. — 8<'p;ils 4 — 5, disliiiol. or cnhering: in a tube, persisieiit. 



Car. — Petals- 4 — 5 (sDMH-tiriics ijimc), enlier uufruicuUUr. an.l iiisnlrd upon tho pedicel of tlie 



ovary, or witliMul claws, and inserted on the (uil-nl.- .ii a lli'shy disk. 

 Sta. — Twice as many as the petals, rarely equal or Irwi i ; aiiiiin-.s imrorse. 

 Oca. — Ol'ten slipitate. Styles slifjmatose the whole leiiglh nl' tlieir iinier surlarc. 

 Fr. — A 1-eellcd capsule or inipert'oetly i — 5-erlle(l, opeuing at the apex by twice as many 



teeth as there are stigmas. Seeds nuuierous. 

 An order of herbs with opposite, entire leaves, no stipules, and stems swelling at the 

 .joints. They are noticeable chiefly for the beauty of a lew ol' the cullivatcd species. It 

 includes eleven North American peiiera. The remainder of the order is found in the tem- 

 perate and frigid climates of the Eastern Continent. Their properties are uuimporlant. 

 Conspectus of the genera. 



{ Sepals partly united. Honrhenya. ^ 



( entire. ( Sepals entirely distinct. Arrnaria. 2 



( Petals .5, \ biaa SteUaria. 1 



(StylesD. I Petals 0. , " ■• 



fnot < Sivles4. Petals 4 — 5 or 0, entire. .... 



tubular. ( Styles 5. Petals 5. bifid. ' . . •. 

 J ) Calyx calyculate with 2 — 4 scales at base, 



i ( Sivles 'i. I Calyx without scjiles at the base. 



I Styles:^ 



Calyx ( tubular. ( Styles 5 



Tribe ], ALSINE^.. 



Sepals distinct or nearly so. Petals without claws inserted on the outside of 

 the disk. Staincns inserted on the margin of the disk. 



1. STELLA'RIA. 

 Sepals 5, connected at base; petals 5, 2-parted ; stamens 

 10, rarely fewer; styles 3, sometimes 4; capsule superior, 

 ] -celled, o-valved, many-seeded. 

 F 



