52 ELATINACE^. 



with opposite or alternate, entire leaves, and scarious stipules. 

 Flowers minute, with scarious bracts. 



1. ANYCHIA. McA.— Forked Chickweed. 



(From the Greek ow^, owxos, o. finger-nail ; on account of its reputed virtue 

 in curing whitlows.) 



Calyx 5 -parted. Sepals connivent, subsaccate, callous at the 

 apex. Petals none. Stamens 3 — 5 ; filaments distinct. Styles 

 short ; stigmas 2, subcapitate. Capsule indehiscent, utricular, 

 1 -seeded, surrounded by the persistent calyx. 



1. A. dichotoma Mich. : stem erect or spreading, dichotomously branched, 

 pubescent, leaves opposite, lanceolate, smooth; flowers solitary, terminal 

 and axillary, very minute, on very short pedicels, about as long as the stip- 

 ules. A. Canadensis Ell. Queria Canadensis Linn. 



Dry soils. Can. to Geor. W. to Ark. July, Aug. (I). — Stem 6 — 12 inches 

 high, very pubescent, with numerous forking almost filiform branches, often 

 purple. Flowers very minute, solitary in the forks of the stem, greenish. A 

 very variable plant. Common Forked Chichoeed. 



2. A. capillacea D. C. : stem very smooth and slender ; leaves ovate ; 

 stipules shorter than the flowers ; flowers remote. A. dichotoma Torr. cf* Chr. 

 Qnh-ia capillacea NuU. 



Pine barrens. N. J. Aug. ®. — Perhaps only a variety of the preceduig. 



Capillary Forked Chickv)eed. 



2. SPERGULA. Linn. —Spnrrey. 

 (From the Latin spargo, to scatter ;■ from the seeds being so widely dispersed.) 

 Calyx 5 -parted. Petals 5, entire. Stamens 5 — 10. Styles 

 3 — 5. Capsule ovate, 5-celled, 5-valved. 



1. S. arvensis Linn. : leaves whorled, with minute stipules at the base ; 

 panicle dichotomous ; floors decandrous ; peduncles of the fruit reflexed ; 

 seeds spherical, somewhat hispid, black, with a narrow margin. 



Sandy Fields. Can. to Geor. W. to the Columbia river. June — Aug. (J). — 

 Stem 6—12 inches high, swelling at the joints. Leaves narrow-linear- whorled. 

 Flowers in a panicle, white. According to Sir W. Hooker, the margin of the 

 seed varies greatly in its breadth. (Brit. Fl.) Introduced from Europe. 



Com Spurrey. Tares. 



2. (S*. saginoides Linn. : stems creeping ; leaves opposite linear, smoc^, 

 awnless ; peduncles soUtary, very long ; petals oblong, obtuse, as long as 

 the calyx ; seeds kidney-form, punctate. >S. decumbens Ell. Sagina de- 

 cumbens Tor?: <^ Gr. 



Sandy fields. Can. to Louis. W. to the Pacific Ocean. April — July. 0. — 

 Stems % — 4 inches long, decumbent. Flowers erect, white. Resembles Sagina 

 procumbens. Introduced ? Pearlwort Spurrey. 



Order XX. ELATINACE^.— Waterworts. 

 Sepals 2 — 5, distinct, or slightly connate at the base. Petals 

 hypogynous, alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many or 



