124 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



in S. procumbens and saginoides, but shorter and generally buried 

 in S. subulata, nivalis, and nodosa. 



Awl-shaped Pearlwort. 



French, Spargoute en Alene. German, Pfriemhldttrige Sagine. 



SPECIES VII.— S AGIN A NIVALIS. Fries. 



Plate CCL. {Ms). 



Spergula nivalis Lindhlom, (Fries, INIant. III. p. 51). 



Spergiila saginoides, var. /3 nivalis, Lindhlom, olim. 



Sagina subulata, var. /3 nivalis. Hook & Ai-n. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 64. 



E-ootstock much branched. Stems few or rather numerous, 

 rather stout, the primary or central one reduced to a barren rosette 

 of leaves, and never bearing any flowers ; the lateral ones short and 

 decumbent, but rarely rooting at the base ; erect or ascending at 

 the apex. Leaves all rather crowded, slightly fleshy, strapshaped- 

 linear, gradually attenuated at the apex, which is without a distinct 

 mucro. Cyme reduced to a single flower. Peduncles short, 

 always erect, glabrous. Sepals 5, broadly ovate,' obtuse, glabrous, 

 applied to the capsule when mature. Petals about as long as the 

 sepals. Capsule erect, 5-valved, once and a half the length of 

 the sepals. Seeds semicircular-obovate, rugose. Plant entirely 

 glabrous. 



On Alpine rocks. Very rare. I possess imperfect specimens 

 through the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, from Ben Lawers, 

 collected with Alsine rubella by Professor Balfour, to whose 

 kindness I am indebted for being enabled to include this species 

 amongst British plants, on undeniable authority ; for, fearing that 

 there had been some transposition of labels, I applied to that 

 gentleman, and he informed me that he had other specimens col- 

 lected at the same date (August, 1847) glued down with Alsine 

 rubella. He also sent for my inspection a specimen of the Sagina, 

 from which our drawing of the plant in an advanced state has 

 been taken (the early state is from a Norwegian specimen in my 

 own possession). Dr. Walker Arnott has mentioned it as occurring 

 in the Isle of Skye and in the Clova Mountains, but does not give 

 the collector's name. Professor Babington, in the third edition of 

 his "Manual," mentioned a plant collected by Mr. Backhouse in 

 Glass Mhiel, Forfarshire ; but as he has omitted it in subsequent 

 editions, it is probable that he has ascertained that it was not 

 Pries' plant. 



Scotland. Perennial. Summer. 



