CARYOPHYLLACE^. 79 



most ones bccominj]^ gradually broader and shorter until the pair 

 where the branching- of the cyme commences; above this the leaves 

 or bracts become smaller, but still remain entirely green, Avithout 

 any membranous margin. Peduncles wlien full grown longer than 

 the calyx. Flowers about \ inch across. Sepals very acute, with 

 a white membranous striji all round the margin and apex. Petals 

 seldom exceeding the sepals, and often not so long. Capsule very 

 little longer than the sepals. Seeds orange-brown, with concentric 

 rows of small rather distant tubercles. Whole plant deep dull 

 green, very viscous, thickly covered with short spreading hairs, each 

 terminated by a sticky gland; and besides these glandular hairs, the 

 leaves are covered with longer sulj-adpressed hairs, some of which 

 also occur towards the apex of the sepals. 



The parts of the flower are often in fours (whence the specific 

 name) ; but there are so frequently five, that no dependence can 

 be placed upon the flowers being tetramerous or pentamerous as 

 a distinguishing character in the group to which C. tetrandruni 

 belongs. 



Dark Green House-ear Chickicecd. 



French, Geraiste Grele. 



V- SPECIES III.— C ERASTIUM PUMILUM. Curt. 



Plate CCXIX. 



neich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. CaryopU. Tab. CCXXVIII. Fig. 4969. 



Bab. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 50. Coss. & Germ. Fl. des Environs de Paris, ed. ii. 



p. 48. 

 C. glutinosuni, Fries, Nov. Fl. Supc ed. ii. p. 132. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. 



ed. ii. p. 133. Gr. k. Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. I. ].. 2 j8 ; et Auct. Plur. 

 C. obscuriim, Chaub. ap. St. Am. Fl. Agen. p. 180. 



Root annual. Stems slightly branched at the base, erect or 

 ascending. Stem-leaves elliptical or oblong-oval. Pirst pair of 

 bracts smaller than the stem-leaves, lanceolate-ovate, entirely her- 

 baceous; secondary bracts broadly-lanceolate, much shorter than 

 the flowering pedicels, with a narrow white membranous margin. 

 Sepals oblong-lanceolate, acute, with rather broad membranous 

 margins, the herbaceous part covered with numerous rather short 

 gland-tipped hairs and a few simple articulated ones. Petals 

 about as long as the sepals, oblong, distinctly notched at the apex, 

 with several branched veins. Pruit-stalks longer than the calyx, 

 recurved or reflexed after flowering, ultimately nearly erect. Cap- 

 sule exserted, not quite twice as long as the sej)als, slightly curved 

 upw^ards, and a little inclined to the line of the pedicel so as to 

 form an obtuse angle with it. 



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