174 CHICKWEEDS. [Juue, 



A remarkable form occurs on a damp heath near Angers. Its 

 stems are numerous, prostrate, branched above only ; the branches 

 upright, fastigiate ; petals half the length of the calyx ; styles 3, 

 plumose ; stamens 3. 



Obs. — The normal number of stamens in S. media is five ; 

 these are placed alternately with the petals, and each springs 

 from a little round basal knob or gland. Often one or more 

 extra stamens are found opposite to the petals, but these do not 

 appear to be provided with any basal gland. Sometimes two 

 stamens spring from the same gland, then the number is very 

 variable. Of some flowers I recently gathered No. 1 oflPered 5 

 normal stamens + 1 baseless extra stamen; No. 2, 4 regular 

 stamens + 1 irregular; another had 3 regular + 3 irregular; 

 a fourth, 5 regular + 3 irregular stamens. 



3. Stellaria Borceana, Jord. — S. apetala, Auct. Herb pale 

 green, slender, turning yellow when exposed to the sun. Stems 

 slender, with the alternate line of hairs. Leaves small, ovate, 

 pointed, the upper ones nearly sessile. Pedicels axillary and 

 terminal, those of the fruit soon becoming straight. Sepals close 

 pressed, seldom opening, covered Avith jointed spreading hairs, 

 rarely glabrous. Petals none. Stamens 2 or 3. Anthers violet, 

 turning brown, included. Styles hardly any. Stigmas short, 

 curved. Capsule ovoid, exserted. Seeds small, pale, minutely 

 rough, shagreened in the middle ["bluntly tubercled"]. Dry 

 sandy places. 



Capsule and calyx often tinged with purple in the Isle of Wight 

 plant. Sepals spreading under a hot sun only. 



(Derived principally from Boreau, ' Flore du Centre de la 

 France,^ vol. ii. p. 104.) 



Errata in former pages. — The Frencli word " ovale" was mistranslated 

 as oval, its equivalent in English being ovate : this correction is neces- 

 sary in the descriptions of Braba. P. 105, line 16, for joint read point. 

 P. 127, the reference for the dichotomous arrangement of Fioice should 

 have been to Boreau, vol. i. p. 154. P. 133, line 22, for dotted read 

 clothed. P. 14 i, line 34, instead of 8 read 7 ; line 36, for 6 read 5 ; and 

 on the next page, line 1, for 7 read 6. 



