634 ALSINE. [CLASS X. ORDER 111. 



what recurved. Flowers from the axils ot the upper leaves, mostly 

 solitary, rarely two or three together, nearly sessile, small, and incon- 

 spicuous. Calyx of ovate obtuse or somewhat pointed segments, with 

 an obscure rib. Petals about as long as the calyx, white, obovate,with 

 a short claw. Stamens with JUaments^ alternating with oblong glands, 

 shorter than the petals. Styles very short. Stigmas spreading. Cap- 

 sule large, roundish ovate, quite smooth, opening wiih three valves, 

 sometimes there are four, or even five. Seeds few, large, obovate, dark 

 brown, finely dotted, and sometimes the flowers are diaecious and 

 abortive. 



Habitat. — Sandy sea coasts ; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



The habit of this species is certainly very diff'erent from any other 

 of the genus. There is not, however, in its structure any diff'erence 

 upon which to found a generic distinction ; it is true the glands 

 between the stamens are larger than in any of the other species, but 

 these vary in size, and the whole plant is of a succulent texture, like 

 most others growing on the sea coasts, and have all the glandular parts 

 more largely developed. The petals we have frequently seen very 

 narrow, and nearly half as long as the calyx, and the styles vary in 

 number from three to five, as well as the valves of the capsules. 



** Leaves narrow, linear, or awl shaped, three ribbed when dry. 



4. A.ver'na, Bartling. (Fig. 721.) Vernal Alsine. Stems procum- 

 bent at the base, much branched, and very leafy ; flowering stems 

 erect, one to many flowered ; leaves linear, subulate, three ribbed ; 

 segments of the calyx ovate lanceolate, three ribbed, with a mem- 

 branous margin ; petals obovate, with a short claw, and as well as the 

 capsule as long as the calyx. 



Arenaria verna, Linn. — English Botany, t. 512. — English Flora, 

 vol. ii. p. 309. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 209.— Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 50. 



Root long, cylindrical, branched. Stem very much branched, pro- 

 cumbent, and very leafy, forming dense tufts, flowering stems nume- 

 rous, erect, paniculated, above round, slender, more or less downy and 

 glandular, leafy, from two to four inches high. Leaves opposite, 

 linear, awl-shaped, of a dull somewhat glaucous green, obtusely 

 pointed, often curved, the margin somewhat membranous, pale, ob- 

 tusely three ribbed, at least when dry, smooth, or scattered over with 

 soft hairs, crowded in the lower part, shorter, broader, and rather 

 distant on the flowering stems. Flowers various in number, sometimes 

 solitary, but mostly forming a panicle, and each on a slender /jerfwwc/e, 

 from the axis of an ovate acute bractea. Calyx of five ovate lanceo- 

 late segments, with a narrow membranous margin, three ribbed, and 

 like the peduncle smooth or hairy. Petals pure white, obovate, with a 

 short claw, entire. Stamens v/ilh awl-shaped ^/amewfa, shorter than 

 the petals, inserted into a glandular base, which sometimes protrudes 



