632 ALSINE. [class X. ORDER III. 



Sect. 1. Spergularia, Pers. De Cand. Prod. p. 1. p. 400. — 

 Koch. Flora Germ, et Helvet p. 111. Leaves linear^ with a pair 

 of membranous stipules at the base. 



1. A. ru'bra. Wahl. (Fig. 718.) Purple Alsine. Stems prostrate ; 

 leaves narrow, linear, acute, plane, somewhat fleshy, bristle pointed ; 

 stipules lanceolate ovate, cloven ; peduncles after flowering reflexed ; 

 segments of the calyx lanceolate, with membranous margins ; capsule 

 as long as the calyx ; seeds compressed, angular, and rugulose. 



Arenaria rubra^ Linn. — English Botany, t. 852. — English Flora, 

 vol. ii. p. 311. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 210. — Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 50. 



Root long, tapering, fleshy. Stems numerous, weak, and slender, 

 prostrate, and spreading in a circular manner around the root, 

 branched, leafy around, smooth in the lower part, often above clothed 

 with soft glandular hairs, as are also the peduncles and calyx. Leaves 

 opposite, half an inch long, very narrow, linear, flat on both sides, 

 acute, with the point terminating in a short bristle, somewhat fleshy, 

 quite smooth, and mostly of a glaucous green, each with a pair of 

 ovate acute cloven pale thin shining membranous stipules, and often in 

 the axis of the leaves are a tuft of others, which are abortive branches, 

 or in a young state. Flowers mostly numerous towards the end of the 

 branches, solitary from the axis of the leaves, on slender peduncles, 

 longer than the leaves, smooth or downy, especially towards the top, 

 erect, or spreading when in flower, bent downwards in fruit. Calyx 

 of five lanceolate segments, with narrow pale membranous margins, • 

 having an obscure mid-rib, and clothed wiih glandular pubescence. 

 Corolla of five ovate reddish petals, about as long as the calyx. 

 Stamens with awl-shaped filaments, nearly as long as the petals. 

 Anthers small, ovate. Capsule ovate, about the length of the per- 

 sistent calyx, smooth, opening with three valves. Seeds numerous, 

 triangular, compressed into a wedge-shape, brown, small, and rugose. 



Habitat. — Sandy fields, road sides. Sec. ; frequent. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



The bright coloured flowers of this species only expand in fine 

 weather, and when the sun shines. It is a pretty spreading plant, 

 very common on the road sides in many sandy districts, and varies 

 considerably in its luxuriance, and in the leaves being a bright or 

 more or less glaucous green. 



2. A. mari'na, Merteus and Koch. (Fig. 719.) Seaside Alsine. 

 Stems prostrate; leaves linear, flat on the upper side, convex at the 

 back, fleshy, with an acute point; stipules ovate, acute, cloven ; 

 peduncles after flowering reflexed ; segments of the calyx ovate lanceo- 

 late, with membranous margins; capsules longer than the calyx ; seeds 

 obovate, compressed, with a membranous border. 



Arenaria marina, Oed. — English Botany, t. 958. — English Flora, 

 vol. ii. p. 312.— Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 211.— -4. mediay 



