105 



PARONYCHIACE/E,^^<A(/. St. Hi/. The Knot-Grass Family. 



Annual or biennial, herbaceous or half-shrubby plants, with op- 

 posite or scattered leaves, and usually scarious stipules. Flowers 

 small, in cymes or clusters, terminal or axillary. Sepals 5, rarely 

 4, either free or slightly united at the base. Petals often rudimen- 

 tary or absent, as many as the sepals. Stamens 5, rarely 4, inserted 

 on a more or less developed disc. Ovary free, consisting of 2-3 

 carpels, one-celled by abortion, rarely three -celled, either indehis- 

 cent or opening by 3 valves. Styles 2-3. Seeds either nume- 

 rous or solitary and pendulous, with a farinaceous, usually central, 

 perisperm (albumen). Embryo annular, curved around the peri- 

 sperm. Radicle approaching the hilum. 



Sub-Order Polycarpe-E. — -Eruit many-seeded. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



Lepigontjm. — Leaves linear or subulate or linear- subulate. 

 PoLTCABPON. — Leaves obovate-ohlong. 



Sub-Order Illecebre.e. — Pruit one-seeded. 

 synopsis of the g-enera. 

 COBEIGIOLA. — Petals oblong, slightly longer than the sepals. Stigmas 3. 

 Herniaeia. — VetsXs filiform . Stigmas 2. 

 Illecebetjm. — Petals absent or subulate. 



Sub-Order Scleranthe^.. — Calyx campanulate or nvceolate by co- 

 hesion of the sepals. 



SCLEEANTHUS. 



Lepigonum, Fr. — Spergularia, Pers. — Arenaria, Lin. — Annual 

 plants, with linear or subulate leaves and scarious stipules. 

 Flowers red or white, in cymes. Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire. 

 Stamens 10, or fewer by abortion. Styles 3. Capsule opening 

 to the base by 5 valves. 



L. rubrum, Wahl. Purple Sandwort. — e.b. 852. — Spergii- 

 laria rubra, l.b.s. 175. ' Cybele,' 182. 



A. 17. C. 75. Lat. 50-58°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tern. 52-46°. 



Stems usually numerous, spreading, ascending, branched, pu- 



* In the Botanical Text-book of Asa Grray, M.D., Alsinece, Illecebrece, Scle- 

 ranthecB, and MoUuginecB are placed as Sub-Orders of Silenece {CaryophyllacecB) ; 

 and Mr. Babington says that " they might be united with the last-named Order." 

 In accordance with these judicious views, we have ventiu-ed to make a shght alte- 

 ration of the xisual arrangement. The affinity of these plants with the Chickweed 

 Family is greater than that of the Mallows with the Pinks. 



14 p 



