TETRANDRIA— TETRAGYNIA. Moenchia. 241 



In dry, sandy, barren ground ; on walls and waste places ; very 

 common. 



Annual. May, June. 



The whole plant is more slender than either of the foregoing. Stems 

 numerous, partly reclining but not taking root, more or less 

 hairy, or rough with prominent scattered points. Leaves shaped 

 like those of S. procwnbens, but fringed at the edges, each tipped 

 with a very distinct bristle ; and they are not unfrequently hairy 

 all over. Flower-stalks long and slender, and likewise hairy. 

 Flowers not perhaps so truly apetalous as the last, though often 

 perfectly so. The petals, if present, are white, not half the 

 length of the calyx, either entire or notched. Caps, pale, about 

 twice as long as the calyx. Seeds bordered with a black line ; 

 but this, as in Spergula and Arenaria, is variable. 



84. MCENCHIA. Moenchia. 



Ehrh. Beitr.fasc.2. \77. Hook. Scot. 48. 

 Nat. Orel, see n. 83. 



Cal. inferior, of 4 elliptic-lanceolate, concave, equal, con- 

 verging, pointed, membranous-edged, permanent leaves. 

 Pet. 4, lanceolate, undivided, entire, upright, shorter than 

 the calyx, withering. Filam. thread-shaped, ascending, 

 shorter than the petals. Anth. of 2 roundish lobes. Germ, 

 superior, ovate. Styles terminal, very short, spreading. 

 Stigm. obtuse, downy. Caps, the length of the calyx, 

 cylindrical, slightly ovate, of 1 cell, and 1 valve, mem- 

 branous, opening at the summit with 8, occasionally 10, 

 equal, shallow, acute teeth. Seeds numerous, kidney- 

 shaped, rough, attached, each on its own stalk, to a cen- 

 tral cylindrical receptacle, half the length of the capsule. 



Herbaceous, smooth, erect, with the habit and fruit of a 

 Cerasliwn, or Holosteam. 



1. M. erecta. Upright Moenchia. 



M. glauca. Pers. Syn. v. 1. 153. Hook. Scot. 60. 

 M. Quaternella. Ehrh. Phyt. 82. Beitr. v. 2. 1 78. 

 Sagina erecta. Linn. Sp. PL 185. Willd. v. 1.719. Fl. Br. 200. 

 Engl. Bot. v. 9. t. 609. Curt. Lond.fasc. 2. /. 12. Dicks. H. Sice, 

 fasc. 6. 6. Dryand. Bibl. Banks, v. 3. 244. Huds. 73. With. 216. 

 Alsinella foliis caryophylleis. Raii Syn. 344. t. 15./. 4. 

 Alsine verna glabra. Vaill. Par. 6. t. 3./. 2. 

 Chamaelinum gramineo, seu acuto, folio. Barrel. Ic. t. 1165. 

 In pastures and heathy ground, on a barren gravelly soil. 

 Annual. May. 

 Root small, fibrous. Whole herb glaucous and very smooth. 



VOL. I. It 



