Order 21.— CARYOPHYLLACE^E. 259 



about equal to the veinless sepals. — "Wet places, N. H., N. Y., N. to Arctic 

 Am. A spreading, flaccid plant. St. 6 to 12 or 15' long, with diffuso cymes 

 both terminal and axillary. Lvs. 8 to 15" long, 1-veined. Petals, when present, 

 white, small, at length about as long as tho lanceolate, acute sepals. Cap3. longer 

 ' than the calyx Jn., JL 



6 S. aquatic a Pollich. Nearly glabrous; st. slender, decumbent; lvs. lance- 

 oval and oblong, acute, with maniiest veinlets; cymes lateral; sep. lanceolate, 

 very acute, 3-veined, rather longer than the bifid petals; caps, ovoid, about 

 equalling the calyx; sty. 3. — 4 Swampy springs, Penn., Md. (Dr. Robbins); 

 also, Rocky Mts. A very slender plant, 6 to 12 long, with inconspicuous flowers 

 Lvs. 6" by 2 to 3". May. (Labraea uliginosa Hook.) 



7 S. longipes Goldie. Smooth and shining ; st. more or less decumbent, with 

 ascending branches; lvs. linear -lanceolate, broadest at base, acute; peduncles and 

 pedicels erect, filiform, cymous, with ovate membranous bracts at base; sep. with 

 membranous margins, obscurely 3-veined, scarcely shorter than the petals. — % 

 Lake shores, N. Y. and Mich. Petals white, 2-parted. Fls. in loose cymes, the 

 terminal peduncle or the middlo one the longest. Jn. — Aug 



8 S. longifolia Muhl. Lvs. linear; cyme terminal, spreading, with lanceolate, 

 scarious bracts; pedicels spreading; cal. 3-veined about equal to the petals. — U. 

 S. N. to Arc. Circle. The stems are of considerable length, very slender and 

 brittle, supported on other plants and bushes. Lvs. alternate at base. Fls. in a 

 divaricate, naked cyme, very elegant, white, appearing in 10 segments like the 

 other species. Three sharp, green veins singularly distinguish the sepals. Jn.. JL 



8. ARENARIA, L. Sandwort. (Lat. arena, sand ; in which most 

 species grow.) Sepals 5, spreading; petals 5, entire; stamens 10, 

 rarely fewer ; styles 3 ; ovary 1-celled ; capsule 3-valved, valves each 

 2-parted ; seeds oo. — Sty. rarely 2 or 4. 



Arenaria. Leaves and sepals acute. Seeds not appendagcd Nos. 1, 2 



Mobringia. Leaves and sepals obtuse. Seeds strophiolate No. 8 



1 A. serpyllifolia L. Thyme-leaved Sandwort. St. dichotomous, spreading ; 

 lvs. ovate, acute, subciliate; cal. acute, striate; petals shorter than the calyx; 

 caps, ovate, 6-toothed. — Q By roadsides and in sandy fields, Ms. to Ga. Sts. 

 numerous, downy, with reflexed hairs, a few inches in length. Lvs. but little 

 longer than a flaxseed, beautifully ciliate. Fls. on axillary and terminal 

 peduncles. Pet. white, oval, mostly much shorter than the 3 to 5-veined, accu- 

 minate, hairy sepals. Jn. 



2 A. diffusa Ell. St. long, decumbent, diffuse ; lvs. oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 

 acute at both ends; ped. 1-flowered; sep. acute: pet. oval, entire, much shorter 

 than the calyx, but generally wanting. — Moist woods, N. Car. to Fla. and Ga. 

 Sts. clambering, 2 to 5f in length, pubescent. Lvs. minutely dotted, attenuate 

 at base often to a petiole, 6 to 12" long. Ped. twice as long, terminal, but soon 

 axillary. Cal. as long (1") as in No. 1. Apr. — Jn. (Stellaria lanuginosa Torr. 

 &Gr.) 



3 A. lateriflora L. Upright, slightly pubescent; lvs. oval, obtuse; ped. lateral, 

 2 to 3-flowered ; sds. (strophiolate) appendaged at the hilum. — % Damp, shady 

 grounds, N. States and Brit. Am. St. 6 to 10' high, nearly simple, slender. Lvs. 

 elliptical, rounded at each end, 6 to 10" long, £ as wide, on very short petioles. 

 Ped. terminal and lateral, 2 to 3' long, dividing" into 2 or more filiform pedicels, 

 one of them with 2 bracteoles in the middle. Fls. 4" diam. ; white petals more 

 than twice as long as the sepals. Jn. (Mceringia, L.) 



9. ALSINE, Wahl. Grovk Sandwort. (Gr. dXaog, a grove ; the 

 favorite locality of these little plants.) Sepals 5 ; petals 5, entire ©r 

 merely notched at apex ; stamens 10 ; styles 3 ; ovary 1-celled ; cap- 

 sule deeply 3-valved, valves entire ; seeds oo. — Small, slender herbs, 



