96 BRITISH BOTANY. 



Sub-Tribe 3. MJLACmEM—Vetah 5 -cleft. Capside ovate, 5 -an- 

 gled ; valves deeply toothed. 



Malachiitm aquaticum is the only British representative of both Genus and 

 Sub-TrJbe. 



McEHRiNGiA, Lin. — Annual or perennial plants^ with filiform, 

 linear or lanceolate leaves. Sepals and petals 4-5 respectively. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 2-3-4. Capsule ovate, usually 4-6-valved. 

 Hilum of the seed furnished with a strophiole (processes or tu- 

 mours about the hilum) . 



M. trinervia, Clair. Plantain-leaved Chickweed. — e.b. 1483. 

 L.B.S. 174. 



A. 17. C. 75. Lat. 50-58°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tem. 51-46°. 



Stems numerous, brittle, spreading from the collar of the root, 

 slender, slightly hairy. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute, ciliate, 

 with three to five principal nerves, the lower ones petiolate, the 

 upper almost sessile. Flowers on long, spreading, horizontal or 

 deflexed pedicels. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate, 3-nerved. Petals 

 much shorter than the sepals. Stamens 10; filaments shorter 

 than the sepals. Capsule shorter than the calyx. Seeds black, 

 smooth, and shining. 



Moist hedges and shady places. Annual ; June, July. 



Arenaria, Lin. — Annual or perennial plants, with usually 

 dilated leaves. Sepals and petals 5. Stamens 10. Styles 3, 

 rarely 2-4-5. Capsule ovate, opening by teeth, which are twice 

 as many as the styles, ultimately separating to the base by 2-3 

 toothed or cleft valves. Seeds without a strophiole. (See Mceh- 

 ringia.) 



A. scrpyllifolia, Lin. Thyme-leaved Sandwort. — e.b. 923. 

 L.B.S. 178. 



A. 18. C. 81. Lat. 50-60°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tem. 52-46°. 



Stems numerous, spreading, branching, leafy, with short pu- 

 bescence. Leaves ovate, acuminate, nerved, with short fringing 

 hairs. Flowers in contiguous cymes. Sepals herbaceous, lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate, mucronate, 3-1-nerved; the central nerve 

 ciliated, scarious at the margin. Petals scarcely so long as the 

 calyx. 



In dry sandy places, waysides, and walls. Annual; May- 

 August. 



A. ciliata, Lin. Fringed Sandwort — e.b. 1745. l.b.s. 176. 

 Irish only. 



