75- CARYÜPHYLLACEAE I95 



29. Styles as many as the sepals, 4 — 5 3q 



Styles fewer than the sepals, 2 — 4, very rarely 5 32 



30. Styles opposite the sepals. Stamens 8. Fruit opening at the top by 8 



recurved teeth. Leaves lanceolate. — Species i. North Africa. 



(Under Cerastium L.) Moenchia Ehrh. 



Styles alternating with the sepals. Stamens 4, 5, or 10. Fruit opening 

 to the base in 4 — 5 valves 31 



31. Stamens as many as and alternating wath the sepals. Petals none. — 



Species 2. Subantarctic islands Colobanthus Bartl. 



Stamens as many as and opposite the sepals, or twice as many. Leaves 

 subulate. — Species 7. North Africa, high mountains of Central Africa 

 and subantarctic islands. Some are used as ornamental plants. "Pearl- 

 wort." Sagina L. 



32. Styles 2. Ovules 2 — 4. Stamens 2 — 4. Sepals 4. Fruit opening to the 



base in 2 valves. Seeds i — 2. Leaves subulate. — Species 5. North- 

 west Africa Buffonia L. 



Styles 3 — 5, rarely 2, but then (as usually) ovoiles more than 4. Sepals 

 nearly always 5 33 



33. Valves of the fruit entire, as many as styles. — Species 8. North Africa 



and northern East Africa. (Including Minuartia L., under Arenaria L.^ 



Alsine Wahlenb. 



Valves of the fruit 2-toothed or 2 -parted ; in the latter case apparently 



twice as many as styles 34 



34. Seeds with an appendage at the hilum. Flowers white. — Species 2. 



North-west Africa. (Under Arenaria L.) . . . . Moehringia L. 



Seeds without an appendage. Stamens 10. — • Species 10. North Africa 



and northern Central Africa. " Sandwort." . . . Arenaria L. 



35. (i.) Calyx with an odd number of ribs. Petals usually with contorted 



aestivation. Styles or stigmas 2. [Tribe DL\NTHEAE.] ... 36 



Calyx with an even number of ribs. Petals usually with quincimcially- 



imbricate aestivation. Styles or stigmas 3 — 5. [Tribe LYCHXIDEAE.] 



41 



36. Calyx with scarious stripes between the lobes and with 5 — 35 ribs. . . 37 

 Calyx \sithout scarious stripes, with 15 — 55 ribs 38 



37. Seeds peltate ; embryo nearly straight. Leaves linear. — Species 2. 



North Africa. (Including Dianthella Clauson) . . Tunica Scop. 



Seeds reniform ; embryo curved. Leaves lanceolate, oblong, elliptical, 



or ovate. — Species 2 North-east Africa to the Island of Socotra. The 



roots are used in medicine and as a substitute for soap . . Gypsophila L. 



38 Petals with scales at the base of the blade, which are sometimes reduced to 



hairs. Calyx not surrounded by bracts 39 



Petals without scales at the base of the blade, but usually with a winged 

 claw 40 



