338 DECANDRIA— PENTAGYNIA. Spergula. 



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

 described by Linnaeus, as well as Ehrhart's ; 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 6 inches 

 high ; and the annular swelling under each joint, mentioned 

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

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

 stamens are said to be 5 ; Loefling once saw 7 ; they are also 

 usually 5 in our (3 ; 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 ArenarifP to the 

 rubra. 



2. S. Jiodosa, Knotted Spurrey. 



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



Calyx without ribs. 

 S. nodosa. Linn.Sp. PI.Q30. Willd.v. 2. 8\9. Fl. Br. 503. Engl. 



Bot. V. 10. t. 694. Curt. Lond. fasc. 4. t. 34. Hook. Scot. I4S. 



Fl. Dan. t. 96. 

 Alsine n. 87 1 . Hall. Hist, v, 1 . 384. 

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



Syn. 350. 

 A. nodosa germanica. Bauh. Pin. 251. Prodr. 1 18. 

 A. palustris ericsefoHa polygonoides, articulis crebrioribus, flore 



albo pulchello. Pluk. Almag. 23. Phyt. t.7.f. 4, 

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

 Polygonum foliis gramineis alterum. Loes. Pruss. 204. t. 64. 

 Sand Chickweed. Pet. H. Brit. t. 59. f. 5. 

 In moist sandy or turfy ground. 

 Perennial. July, August. 

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



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



or 6 inches long, beset with numerous pairs of short awl-shaped 



leaves, accompanied by dense axillary tufts of smaller ones. 



The radical leaves are much longer, measuring an inch or more. 



R. of a brilliant white, large, few together, on simple stalks, 



towards the top of each stem. Cal. blunt, without keel or ribs. 



Pet. obovate. An Arenaria in habit, and every thing else, but 



the 5 styles, and 5 valves of the capsule, which last is seldom 



perfected. 



3. S. saginoides. Smooth Awl-shaped Spurrey. 

 Leaves opposite, awl-shaped, almost pointless, naked. 



