38 CARYOPHYLLACEAE. [Vor IL. 
20. LOEFLINGIA L, Sp. Pl. 35. 1753- 
Low annual glandular-puberulent diffusely branched herbs, with small subulate or 
setaceous stipulate leaves and very small sessile flowers, solitary or glomerate in the axils. 
Sepals 5, rigid, keeled, acuminate or awn-tipped, the outer ones commonly with a tooth on 
each side. Petals 3-5, minute, or wanting. Stamens 3-5, perigynous. Ovary triangular- 
pyramidal, 1-celled, many-ovuled. Capsule 3-valved. Seeds oblong or obovate, attached 
near their bases; embryo somewhat curved; cotyledons accumbent. [In honor of Peter 
Loefling, 1729-1756, Swedish traveler. ] 
About 5 species, natives of southwestern North Amer- 
ica, the Mediterranean region and central Asia. Besides 
the following, 2 others occur in the southwestern United 
States. 
1. Loeflingia Texana Hook. Texan 
Loeflingia. (Fig. 1517.) 
Loeflingia Texana Hook. Ic. Pl. 3: pl. 275. 1840. 
Finely and densely glandular-puberulent, stems 
much branched, bushy, 3-6’ high, the branches 
slender, terete, ascending or those bearing flowers 
secund and recurved. Leaves subulate, 2’/-3’’ long, 
appressed-ascending; flowers less than 1/’ broad; 
sepals nearly or quite straight, the 3 outer ones or all 
with a setaceous tooth on each side; petals much 
shorter than the sepals; stamens usually 3; capsule 
shorter than the calyx; seeds obovate. 
In dry soil, Nebraska to Texas. April-June. 
21. PARONYCHIA Adans. Fam. Pl. 2: 272. 1763. 
Perennial tufted herbs, often woody at the base, with opposite leaves, scarious stipules, 
and small clustered scarious-bracted apetalous flowers. Calyx 5-parted, the segments bris- 
tle-pointed. Stamens 5, inserted at the base of the calyx, sometimes alternate with as many 
staminodia. Ovary ovoid or subglobose, narrowed upward into the style; style 2-cleft 
at the apex; ovule solitary, amphitropous. Utricle membranous, included in the calyx, 
1-seeded. [Greek, for a disease of the fingers and a plant supposed to cure it. ] 
About 4o species, natives of warm and temperate regions. Besides the following about 5 others 
occur in the Southern States, one in the Rocky Mountains, and one in California. 
Awns of the calyx-segments erect. 1. P. argyrocoma, 
Awns of the calyx-segments divergent. 
Stipules 2-cleft. 2. P. sessiliflora. 
Stipules entire. 
Lowest leaves obtuse, uppermost mucronate or bristle-pointed. 3. P. Jamesit. 
Leaves all acute, mucronate or bristle-pointed, 4. P. dichotoma, 
1. Paronychia argyrocoma (Michx.) Nutt. 
Silver Whitlow-wort. (Fig. 1518.) 
Anychia argyrocoma Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 113. 1803. 
Paronychia argyrocoma Nutt. Gen. 1: 160. 1818. 
Stem erect or ascending, much branched, 3/-9’ high, 
clothed with silvery appressed scale-like hairs. Leaves 
linear, I-nerved, acute or mucronate at the apex, pubes- 
cent or nearly glabrous; stipules silvery-white, scarious, 
entire, usually shorter than the leaves; flowers in fork- 
ing cymes, subtended by the large silvery membranous 
bracts; calyx-segments 2/’-2'4’’ long, their awns erect, 
nearly as long as the segments; style filiform, minutely 
2-cleft at the summit; staminodia minute and much 
shorter than the filaments or wanting. 
In rocky places, Maine and New Hampshire to Tennessee 
and Georgia. Ascends to 4200 ft.in North Carolina. Called 
also Silver Chickweed and Silverhead. July-Sept. 
