DECANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Saponaria. 283 



into dense, forked tufts. Tube of the calyx 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. Slaniens sometimes fewer than 10, and often un- 

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

 of them is often abortive. 



2 ^. per €71711 s. Perennial Knawel. 



Calyx of the iViiit with converging obtuse segments, edged 

 with a broad ineinbrane. Stems procumbent. 



S. perennis. Lbni. Sp. PL :,S0. UlllcJ. v. 2. 6f)\. Fl. Br. 4bS. 



- Engl. Bot. V. J. t. 352. IL^ok. Scot. 133. FL Dan. t. 5(i3. Ehrh. 

 Herb. 44. 



S. n. 1.050. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 254. 



Knawel incanum, flore majore, perenne. Raii Syn. IGO. t. o./. 1. 



Alchimilhi gramineo folio, majori flore. Vaifl. Par. 4. t. 1./. 5. 



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



Spreading Knawell. Pet. H. Brit. t. 9./. 7. 



(d. Polygonum cocciferum. Camcr. Epit. 691. f. 



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



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



In h'gli open sandy fields, rare. 



About P^lden, Suffolk, ])lentifully. Ray. Near Snettisham, Nor- 

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

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

 Hooker. 



Perennial. August — October. 



Root woody, branched, with many decumbent or ])rostrate stems, 

 3 or 4 inches long. Whole //er6 .of a glaucous glistening appear- 

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

 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 tiie roots of S. perennis are attacked by 

 the insect called Coccus polonicus, Linn. Syst. v. 1. 741, which 

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

 nuus, and some Potcntiltcp. A good account of its economy is 

 given in the l/|)sal Transactions for 1742./). 51. /. 1. 1 have 

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

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



2:52. SAPONARIA. Soapwort. 



I.inn. Gen. 224. Juss. 302. Fl. Br. 459. Lam. t. ?>76. 



Nat. Ord. C(irii()]'liiillfir. I^inn. 22. JubS. 82. Five lidlowiiig 



