TETRANDRIA— TETRAGYNIA. Sagina. 239 



»■ 



stalk, often spiral, is greatly lengthened, rising to the surface of 

 the water, and carrying with it the 4 impregnated germens, each 

 raised on its own long and firm stalk, produced likewise after ■ 

 the anthers are fallen. Each germen becomes an ovate, pointed 

 seed, the size of Millet, with a hard shell, that does not burst. 

 Dr. Hooker has admirably illustrated the history of this curious 

 plant, and has named the parts of the seed so as, surely, to 

 leave no room for any improvement. The germination of the 

 plant, when properly investigated, must show which is the real 

 plumula. 



83. SAGINA. Pearl-wort. 

 Linn. Gen. 68. Juss. 300. Fl. Br. 199. Lam. t. 90. Gcertn. t.\ 29. 

 Nat. Orel. Caryophyllece. Linn. 22. Juss. 82. 



Cat. inferior, of 4 ovate, concave, equal, widely spreading, 

 bluntish, permanent leaves. Petals 4, ovate, obtuse, en- 

 tire, shorter than the calyx, alternate with its leaves, 

 spreading; sometimes wanting. Filam. thread-shaped, 

 ascending, shorter than the cal. and opposite to it. Anth. 

 of 2 roundish lobes. Germ, superior, ovate. Styles ter- 

 minal, short, rather spreading. Stigmas obtuse, downy. 

 Caps, ovate, of 1 cell, and 4 ovate, separate, equal valves. 

 Seeds numerous, minute, rough, attached, each on its own 

 stalk, to a central cylindrical receptacle. 



Small, generally smooth, herbs, with opposite, narrow, en- 

 tire leaves, and axillary, solitary, stalked, small, greenish 

 or white Jlowers. 



1. S. procumbens. Procumbent Pearl-wort. 



Stems procumbent, smooth. Leaves minutely pointed. 



Petals half as long as the calyx. 

 S. procumbens. Linn. Sp. PI. 185. Willd. v. 1. 718. Fl. Br. 199. 



Engl. Bot. v. 13. £.880. Curt. Lond.fasc.3. 1. 12. Hook. Seot.59. 



Arduin. Spec.2. 23. t.S.f.2. 

 Alsine n.861. Hall, Hist. v. 1. 382. 

 A. pusilla graminea, flore tetrapetalo. Town. Inst. 243. Segu. 



Veron.v. 1.421. t.5.f.3. 

 Alsinella muscoso flore repens. Dill. Giss. 81 . Raii Syn. 345. 



In sandy ground, or the walks and beds of neglected gardens, as 

 well as on shady walls, and gravelly banks, every where. 



Perennial. May — August. 



Root fibrous. Stems 2—4 inches long, spreading on the ground 

 in every direction, leafy, round, taking root at their lower joints, 

 and if not disturbed, remaining through the winter, as Mr. Curtis 

 first remarked. Leaves in like manner evergreen, combined by 



