54 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



l8. BUFFONIA, L. 



Sepals 4, membranous ; petals 4 ; stamens 4 ; styles 2 ; 

 capsule opening with two valves. Plants of a rush-like 

 habit; not alpine. 



B. macrosperma, Gay {paniculata, Del.); inflorescence 

 compound, crowded, leaves setaceous; gravelly places; 

 Southern Switzerland, Dauphiny. 



19. Sagina, L. 

 Flowers usually small, solitary, on long stalks ; sepals 

 4-5; petals 4-5, often wanting; stamens 4-10; styles 

 4-5 ; capsule opening by 4-5 valves ; leaves subulate, 

 connate at the base. Small caespitose inconspicuous 

 plants. 



A. Sepals and petals usually 4 : — The English species of 

 Pearlwort, 5. procumbenSy L., with very small petals, and 

 apetala, L., usually apetalous, are universally diffused. 

 6". bryoides, Rchb., with ciliate leaves, is probably a 

 mountain variety of procumbens (Tirol, Carinthia), and 

 S. ciliata, Fr. (Southern Switzerland, rare), also with 

 ciliate leaves, a variety of apetala. 



B. Sepals and petals usually 5 : — 6". repenSy Burn. 

 {glabra^ Koch) ; glandular-hairy, petals i J-2 times as 

 long as sepals ; local ; St. Bernard, Southern Tirol, 

 Dauphiny. 5. Linnceiy Presl. {Spergula saginoides^ L.) ; 

 petals shorter than sepals, capsule as long as sepals; 

 pastures. vS*. macrocarpay Maly; petals about as long as 

 sepals, capsule twice as long as sepals ; pastures, local. 

 The English species, vS. subulata^ Presl, with the leaves 

 narrowed into a long awn; and 6". nodosa^ Fnzl., with 



