[July, I860.] 193 



BEITISH LEPIGONA. 



Descriptions of some Species of Lepigonum ; translated from the 

 ' Symbolse ad Synopsin Generis Lepigonorum' o/N. C. Kind- 

 berg^ 1856. 



The genus Lepigonum represents that section of the Linnsean 

 Arenaria which was formed to include the species furnished with 

 stipules. Several other names have been proposed for the genus, 

 such as Spergularia, Pers., (employed in the London catalogue,) 

 Stipularia, Haw. ; but the term Lepigonum, Wahlb., has been 

 adopted by Fries, and has become familiar to the English botan- 

 ists in Babington^s Manual. 



The position of the genus is still a matter of dispute. Lepi- 

 gonum has been lately removed, together with Spergula, from the 

 .Caryophyllaceae, and placed, chiefly on account of its stipules, in 

 the order Paronychiacea ; but many eminent botanists continue 

 to think that its affinities are rather with the former than the 

 latter order. 



The British Lepigona are probably most generally known 

 under the names of Arenaria rubra and A. marina, with the 

 addition of A. media, and recently of " Spergularia rupestris or 

 rupicola." Lepigonum salinum, though mentioned in Babing- 

 ton^s Manual as a variety of L. marinum, is apparently known to 

 very few of our botanists ; and it is with the vievr of directing 

 renewed attention to a strict discrimination of this and of some 

 other plants of the genus, that the present extract is offered to 

 those who may wish to investigate the British Lepigona during 

 the ensuing summer. It is to be remembered that hitherto only 

 five of the species here described have been ascertained to occur 

 in Britain. Kindberg indeed mentions his L. neglectum as found 

 in Sussex, but there is great reason to believe that this is only 

 another synonym for the plant which commonly passes under the 

 name of L. medium among English botanists. 



Subdiv. I. Seeds rough, seldom winged. 

 Sect. A. Annuals, like L. rubruin. 

 Lepigonum rubrum (Linn.) . Stems roundish, often compressed 

 in their upper portion, furnished with thickened joints. Leaves 

 flattened, somewhat fleshy, often curved, sublinear filiform, some- 

 what wider towards their tip, bluntish or awl-shaped, glaucous. 



N. S. VOL. IV. 2 C 



