86 Caryophyllace<2. [Stellaria. 



A much-branched, erect annual or perennial herb, branches 

 ascending, densely pubescent ; 1. nearly sessile, oval-oblong 

 or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or acute, hairy on both sides ; 

 fl. numerous, the cymes at first capitate, afterwards open and 

 spreading, ped. hairy, bracts with membranous margins ; sep. 

 acute or subacute, hairy, with membranous margins ; pet. 

 slightly longer, bifid ; capsule twice as long as persistent sep., 

 slightly curved, opening by lo short, straight teeth ; seeds 

 very small, rough, brown. 



Upper montane zone ; a common weed about Nuwara Eliya, &c., but 

 perhaps introduced with grass-seed. Fl. all the year ; white. 



Throughout Europe and temperate Asia ; very common in Britain, 

 also in the Nilgiris. 



This is not given in Thw. Enum. as a native, though mentioned in the 

 Preface as an introduced plant. 



2. STEZiIiARIA, L. 



Herbs ; fl, in cymes ; sep. 5, distinct ; pet. 5, distinct, 

 bifid; stam. 10; ov. i -celled, with few ovules on a central 

 basal placenta, styles 3 ; capsule ovoid, 3 -toothed or valved ; 

 seeds few. — Sp. about 70 ; 20 in FL B. Ind. 



S. drymarioides, Thw. Etmm. PL ZcyL 24 (1858). 



C. P. 400. 



Fl. B. Ind. i. 229. 



An herb with procumbent, quadrangular, glabrous stems, 

 rooting at the nodes and giving off erect flaccid branches 

 pilose when young; 1. '\-\\m., rotundate-oval, acute at base 

 and tapering into pubescent petiole, slightly pilose, thin, with 

 a conspicuous intra-marginal vein ; fl. |-| in., nodding, in 

 small, terminal, paniculate cymes, ped. glandular-pubescent ; 

 sep. ovate, subacute, glandular-pubescent, with membranous 

 margins ; pet. wedge-shaped, half as long as sep., deeply 

 bifid ; ov. subglobosc, ovules 3 or 4, styles 3, filiform ; capsule 

 (not seen) ' i-seeded.' 



Lower montane zone ; very rare. Only found as yet near the Hapu- 

 tale Pass at about 4000 ft. Fl. April ; white. 



Endemic ; unless a plant from Mauritius be the same (see Baker, 

 Fl. Maur. p. 14). 



^9. media, With., the common Chickweed of Europe, is a frequent 

 weed in the higher hill districts, but I think certainly introduced. It is 

 C. P. 3090, and is figured in Wight, Ic. t. 947 from Nilgiri specimens. 



Two other introduced European weeds of cultivated ground are met 

 with in the mountains : Sagina procunihcns, L., rather rarely, and 

 Spergtda arucnsis, L., the Spurrey (C. P. 564) commonly. 



