CARYOPIIYLLACE.^, 121 



Sepals 4, ovate, concave, hooded and obtuse at the apex, spreadini^ 

 when the capsule is mature. Petals very small (about one-fourth 

 the length of the sepals), or none. Capsule at first nodding, 

 at length erect, 4-valved, a little longer than the sepals. Seeds 

 semicircular-obovate, very slightly rugose. Plant glabrous, or 

 with the edges of the leaves ciliated. 



In waste places and cultivated ground ; especially partial to 

 wall tops and garden walks. Extremely common, and generally 

 distributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial, Spring 

 to Autumn. 



This species is easily distinguished from the preceding by the 

 barren central rosette, the prostrate rooting lateral stems, the 

 peduncles hooked at the end after flowering, and, from all but 

 S. maritima, by the broader leaves which do not taper gradually 

 into the apical mucro ; this mucro is, however, very much longer 

 than in S. maritima, with which S. procumbens has been con- 

 founded, as it appears to be a fleshy variety of the latter which has 

 been described as S. maritima in Grenier and Godron's " Elore de 

 France." 



Professor Babington is inclined to refer to S. procumbens the 

 S. ambigua of Lloyd ; but Mr. J. G. Baker has furnished me with 

 specimens of that plant named by Professor Boreau, which cer- 

 tainly belong to S. ciliata, with which Lloyd's description also 

 agrees. 



Occasionally the flowers are pentamerous, with 5 sepals and a 

 5-valved capsule, in which case it is often difficult to distinguish it 

 from S. saxatilis ; but that species has the petals very conspicuous 

 (half as long as the sepals), and rounded at the apex, the styles 

 erect after flowering, the sepals adpressed to the mature capsule, 

 which is longer and has the valves more tapering. 



Mr. Bentham unites S. maritima, apetala, ciliata, and procum- 

 bens, giving the name of S. procumbens to the resulting aggregate 

 species. 



Procumbent Pearlwort. 



French, Sagine CoucMe. German, Mederliegende Sagine. 



Section II.— SPERGELLA. 



Sepals 5. Petals 5, at least half as long as the calyx and often 

 much more. Stamens 10 or 5. Styles 5. Capsule 5-valved. 



VOL. II. K 



