Scleranthus.] SCLERANTHE.E. ~' A f 



herbaceous, erect ; leaves all linear, entire or toothed : pen- 

 anth of the fruit sinuated and muricated at the back. Br. FL 

 1. p. 440. E. Fl. v. iv. p. 260. E. Bot. t. 708. 



Muddy salt-marshes, on the coast. On the muddy shore of Howth 

 on the Sutten side, abundant. Fl. July. ©.—The under side of the 

 haves -dwdflowers are mealy. The latter ur e in rather crowded, axil- 

 lary, and terminal spikes. 



7. A. pedunculata. Linn. Stalked Sea Orache. Stem her- 

 baceous, zigzag, with spreading branches; leaves obovato-lan- 

 ceolate; seed-bearing flowers, cuneate, 2-horned, on long stalks. 

 Hooker. Br. Fl. 1. p. 440. E. FL v. iv.p. 261. E. Bot. t. 

 232. 



Muddy salt-marshes. Cushtrower Bay, Cunnamara ; Doctor Wade. 

 I have not seen Irish specimens of this species, nor have I had an op- 

 portunity of examining the place where it is said to have been found. 

 Fl. Aug. Sept. ©.— Well distinguished from all the other species by 

 its long peduncles, and the peculiar shape of the seed-bearing perj'«>i^, 

 especially when the fruit is ripe. 



Ord. G2. SCLER ANTHER. Link. Scleranthus Family. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx 4 or 5 toothed, with an 

 urceolate tube. Stamens from 1 to 10, inserted into the orifice 

 of the tube. Ovarium simple, superior, 1-seeded. Styles two 

 or one, emarginate at the apex. Fruit a membranous utricle, 

 enclosed within the hardened calyx. Seed pendulous from the 

 apex of a funiculus, which arises from the bottom of the cell; 

 embryo cylindrical, curved round farinaceous albumen. Small 

 herbs. Leaves opposite, without stipules. Flowers axillary, 

 sessile. 



1. Scleranthus. Linn. Knawel. 



Calyx of one piece, 5-cleft. Corolla none. Stamens inserted 

 upon the calyx, five frequently abortive or wanting. Capsule 

 1-seeded, covered by the calyx. — Name, from (ticXrjpos, hard, 

 and avOos, a flower ; from the indurated nature of the floral 

 covering. Decandria. Digynia. 



1. S. annuus, Linn. Annual Knawel. Calyx of the fruit 



with erecto-patent, rather acute segments ; stems spreading ; 



root annual. Br. FL 1. p. 189. E. FL v. iv. p. 282. E. Bot. 



t. 351. 



Corn-fields, frequent.; Fl. July. 11 .—Stems many, much branched 

 in a dichotouious manner, slender, subpubescent, straggling. Leaves 

 linear-subulate, keeled, opposite and combined at the base by a membra- 

 nous fringed margin. Flowers green, inconspicuous, in axillary leafy 

 clusters. Calyx urceolate, ribbed, with five ovato-lanceolate teeth. 



