108 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



genus Alsine no doubt ouglit to be joined, as is done by Dr. Walker 

 Arnott, Mr. Bentham, and Dr. Hooker ; but as long as Silene and 

 Lychnis are kept distinct, the union of the two is inconsistent. 

 The British species of these two genera however differ by the 

 species of Arenaria having broader leaves ; all the British Alsines 

 having linear or subulate leaves. 



Tlie name comes from aXaos (alsos), a grove ; because the plants grow abundantly 

 in woods or groves. 



Section I.— CnEELEElEJ^. Fenzl. 



Flowers sub-dicecious. Petals abortive or absent, especially in 

 the female flowers. Glands of the disk very conspicuous. Leaves 

 short, linear-triquetrous, channelled above. Seeds few, roundish 

 obovate, pointed, so finely granulated as to appear smooth. 



SPECIES L— ALSINE CHERLERIA. Fend. 

 Plate CCXL. 



Cherleria sedoides, Liim. Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. CaryopU. Tab. CCIV. 



Fig. 4903. 

 C. sedoides, Linn, et AucL Flur. 



Bootstock much branched. Flowering stems very short, erect, 

 and densely leafy. Barren shoots longer and procumbent, with the 

 leaves distant, except at the apex, where they are crowded. Leaves 

 linear-triquetrous, furrowed above, obtuse at the apex, ciliated at 

 the margins, somewhat fleshy. Flowers solitary, terminal, sub- 

 dioecious. Peduncles about eqtxal to the sepals, or sometimes a 

 little shorter. Sepals oblong-oval, obtuse, 3-nerved, with very 

 narrow membranous margins. Petals none, or sometimes present 

 in the male flowers, and then resembling barren filaments. Glands 

 of the disk oblong. Capsule ovoid-conical, about one half longer 

 than the sepals. Seeds few, nearly smooth. 



On rocks and rocky debris ; most partial to those of mica 

 slate. Local, and confined to the Scotch Highlands, but abundant 

 on the Breadalbane and Clova mountains, extending North to 

 Sutherlandshire, and reported from Shetland. 



Scotland. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 



Bootstock slender, almost woody, thickly clothed with root- 

 fibres ; imbedded in the debris in which the plant grows, its 

 branches passing insensibly into stems which, towards the circum- 

 ference of the tufts, give off trailing barren shoots 1 or 2 inches 



