50 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



Ehrh. {glauca, With.) ; and uliginosa^ Murr. ; wet places, 

 the latter ascending to high elevations. vS. Friesiana^ 

 Sen (Engadine), resembles uliginosa, with longer petals 

 and narrower leaves. S. pallida^ Pire, is an apetalous 

 variety of media. 



13. Malachium, Fr. 



Resembling Stellaria, but styles 5 ; capsule splitting 

 into 5 bifid valves. Not alpine. 



M. aquaticum, Fr. {Stellaria aquatica, Scop.); wet 

 places. 



14. Mgehringia, L. 



Petals 5, rarely 4, expanded; stamens 10, rarely 8; 

 styles usually 3 ; capsule 3-6-valved ; seeds with a 

 mantle-like appendage at the base. Caespitose, mostly 

 alpine plants, with small white flowers. 



A. Sepals and petals 4; stamens 8; styles 2: — M. 

 muscosa, L. ; petals longer than sepals, leaves linear, 

 plant very fragile ; high moist places, common. 



B. Sepals and petals 5; stamens 10; styles 3: — M. 

 sphagnoideSy Rchb. ; stem densely csespitose, flowers on 

 very short stalks, leaves imbricate, trigonous ; Tirol, 

 rare. M. stenopetala^ Hausm. ; petals not longer than 

 sepals, very narrow; Tirol, very rare (Gross Glockner). 

 M. diversifolia, Doll. ; petals as broad as sepals, but not 

 longer, lowermost leaves ovate, on long stalks, upper- 

 most linear ; wet rocks ; Styria, Carniola, Carinthia, rare. 

 M. glaucovirens, Bert, {glaucay Leyb.) ; leaves all linear, 

 semi-cylindrical, glabrous, flowers on long stalks, petals 

 not longer than sepals; Tirol, rare. M. villosa, Fnzl. ; 



