638 ARENARIA. [CLASS X. ORDER III. 



GENUS XIV. ARENA'RTA.— Linn. Sandwort. 



Nat. Ord. CARYOPHYL'LEiE. Jess. 



Gen. Char. Calyx of five pieces. Petals five, entire, or slightly 

 notched. Stamens ten, some of which are occasionally abortive. 

 Styles three. Capsule of one cell, six valved. Seeds numerous. — 

 Named from Arena, sand, from the greater number of the species 

 growing in sandy situations. 



1. A. serpyllifo' Ha, Linn. (Fig. 726.) Thyme-leaved Sandwort. 

 Stems numerous, ascending ; panicle forked ; leaves ovate, acute, 

 sessile, opposite; calyx segments lanceolate, acuminate, hairy, the 

 outer ones three ribbed; petals ovate, wedge-shaped, about as long 

 as the calyx. 



English Botany, t. 923.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 307.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 209. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 49. 



Root of long branched fibres. Stems mostly numerous, curved at 

 the base, becoming erect, from two to six inches high, round, leafy, 

 mostly rough, with short hairs, simple, rarely branched above, divided 

 into forked panicles, mostly of numerous flowers, with a solitary one 

 from the axis of the branches. Leaves opposite, short, ovate, acute, 

 sessile, and united at the base, the lower ones on footstalks, with a 

 mid-rib and several lateral veins, more or less rough, with short hairs. 

 Flowers on erect slender pedicles, downy, or viscid. Calyx of five 

 narrow lanceolate acuminate segments, with a narrow pale membranous 

 margin, hairy, the inner ones with a mid-rib, and two indistinct 

 lateral ones, the outer with a mid-rib, and two, sometimes four lateral 

 ones. Stamens on slender filaments, with ovate anthers, often of a 

 purplish colour. Petals ovate, wedge-shaped, white, as long as the 

 calyx, sometimes shorter. Styles v,'\i\i downj stigmas. Capsule ovale, 

 as long as the calyx, opening with six valves. Seeds numerous, small, 

 brown, kidney-shaped, wrinkled. 



Habitat. — Old walls and dry places ; frequent. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



This is a very variable plant with regard to its size and pubescence. 

 It is, however, constant in its character, and readily distinguished 

 from all others; the seeds are numerous, and a favourite food of small 

 birds. 



2. A. ciliaUa, Linn. (Fig. 727.) Fringed Sandwort. Stems much 

 branched, procumbent at the base ; leaves ovate lanceolate, or acute, 

 shortly petiolated, roughish, and ciliated at the base ; flowers few, 

 sub-paniculated, or solitary; calyx segments lanceolate, acute, many 

 ribbed, shorter than the ovate short clawed petals. 



English Botany, t. 1745.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 310. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 209. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 50. 



