DECANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Saponaria. 283 



into dense, forked tufts. Tube of the cahjx ovate, with 10 ribs 

 and as many furrows ; limb widely spreading when in flower, 

 less so when in fruit, the segments tapering, acute, the length 

 of the tube. Stamens sometimes fewer than 10, and often un- 

 equal in length. Rudiments of the seeds certainly 2, though one 

 of them is often abortive. 



2. S. perermis. Perennial Knawel. 



Calyx of the fruit with converging obtuse segments, edged 

 with a broad membrane. Stems procumbent. 



S. perennis. Linn. Sp. PL 580. Mllld. v.2. 661. Fl. Br. 45S. 

 Engl. Bot. V. 5. ^.352. Hook. Scot. 133. Ft. Dan. t.563. Ehrh. 

 Herb. 44. 



S. n. 1550. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 254. 



Knawel incanum, flore majore, perenne. Raii Sijn. 160. t.5.f. 1. 



Alchimilla gramineo folio, majori flore. Vaill. Par. 4. t. \.f. 5. 



Saxifraga anglicana alsinefolia. Ger. Em. 567 .f. not descr. 



Spreading Knawel). Pet. H. Brit. t. D.f. 7. 



/3. Polygonum cocciferum. Camer. Epit. 69]. f. 



P. polonicum cocciferum. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. p. 2. 378./. 



P. minus cocciferum. Frisch Insect, fasc. 5. 7 . t. 2. 



In high open sandy fields, rare. 



About Elden, Suflblk, plentifully. Ray. Near Snettisham, Nor- 

 folk. Mr. Crowe. Near Bury St. Edmund's. Sir John Cul- 

 lum, Bart. On gravelly banks near Forfar, rarej Mr. D. Don. 

 Hooker. 



Perennial. August — October. 



Root woody, branched, with many decumbent or prostrate stems, 

 3 or 4 inches long. Whole herb of a glaucous glistening appear- 

 ance, turning reddish with age, especially the stems. Leaves 

 more tapering, crowded, and curved than in the foregoing. Seg- 

 ments of the calyx more obtuse, concave, and finally converging, 

 characterized especially by their broad, white, membranous edges, 

 nor is there any question of the two species being clearly di- 

 stinct. 

 In several parts of Europe the roots of S. perennis are attacked by 

 the insect called Coccus polonicus, Linn. Syst. v. I. 741, which 

 yields a fine crimson dye, and is said likewise to live on S. an- 

 imus, and some Polenlillce. A good account of its economy is 

 given in the Upsal Transactions for 1742, p. 51. t.\. I have 

 never been able to find this insect in England upon S. perennis. 

 Figures of the plant infested with it are indicated at /3. 



232. SAPONARIA. Soapwort. 

 Linn. Gen. 224. Juss. 302. Fl. Br. 459. Lam. t. 376. 

 Nat. Ord. CaryoplitjUea:, Linn. 22. Juss. 82. Five following 



