338 DECANDRIA— PENTAGYNIA. Spergula. 



I concur with Professor Hooker in considering /3 as but a slight va- 

 riety, there being not the smallest difference in the size or struc- 

 ture of any part of the plant, except the seeds, in which indeed 

 the difference is remarkable. But intermediate appearances 

 may be traced between the round rough angular seeds of the 

 common Spurrey, and the smooth, lenticular, bordered ones of 

 this variety. There is the same difference in Arenaria marina, 

 compared with rubra; but there are presumed to be other spe- 

 cific marks between these two plants. On the other hand, Sper- 

 gula pentandra , of which I have Loefling's original specimens 

 described by Linnseus, as well as Ehrhart's j and others gathered 

 by Mr, Schleicher in Switzerland ; differs from /3 as Arenaria me- 

 dia does from marina, in having a broad, white, striated, orbicular 

 wing to each seed. This Dr. Wm. Sherard must be presumed 

 to have gathered in Ireland ; but I have seen no native speci- 

 mens. All the foreign ones now before me are much smaller 

 than either of the preceding varieties, being from 2 to G inches 

 high; and the annular swelling under each joint, mentioned 

 by Dr. Wahlenberg, may be perceived ; but I find nothing 

 like a decisive character, in the stem, leaves, or other parts. The 

 stamens are said to be .') ; Loefling once saw 7 ; they are also 

 usually 5 in our p ; but their number is certainly variable in all 

 the three varieties. I think Arenaria media and marina, above 

 alluded to, sanction the union of these three Spergulce ; if the 

 latter do not persuade us to refer those two Arenaricc to the 

 rubra. 



2. S. nodosa. Knotted Spurrey. 



Leaves opposite, awl-shaped, smooth ; upper ones cliisteretl. 

 Calyx without ribs. 



S. nodosa. Linn. Sp. Pl.6?j{). IVilld. V.2.S10. Fl. Br. 503. Engl. 



Bot. V. 10. t. C94. Curt. Land. fasc. 4. t. 34. Hoolc. Scot. 145. 



FLDan.t.OC). 

 Alsine n. 871. Hall. Hist. v. 1. aS4. 

 A. palustris, foliis tenuissimis, seu Saxifraga palustris anglica. liaii 



Sjju. 350. 

 A. nodosa germanica. Bauh. Pin. 251. Prodr. 118. 

 A. palustris ericsefolia jjolygonoides, articulis crebrioribus, flore 



albo pulchello. Fluk. Almag. 23. Plujt. t.7.f.4. 

 Arenaria. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. p. 2. 720./. 

 Polygonum foliis gramineis alterum. Lxs. Pruss. 204. /. 04. 

 Sand Chickweed. Pet. H. Brit. t.oQ.f. 5. 

 In moist sandy or turfy ground. 

 Perennial. July, August. 

 Root fibrous. Herb quite smooth, of a dark shining green. Slemn 



spreading, or prostrate, numerous, slender, round, from 3 to 5 



or G inches long, beset with numerous pairs of short awl-shaped 



