PARONYCHIACE^. 107 



3, very short. Capsule opening to the base by 3 valves. Seeds 

 scarcely curved. 



P. tetraphyllum, Lin. Four-leaved Allseed. — e.b. 1031. 

 L.B.s. 398. 



A. 3. C. 4. Lat. 50-52°. Alt. 0-? yds. Tern. 52-50°. 



Stems slender, forked (branches unilateral), swollen at the 

 joints. Leaves glabrous, ovate, oblong, the lower verticillate (in 

 whorls), the upper opposite. Stipules scarious. Flowers in forked 

 cymes. Sepals triangular, very fleshy, cucuUate, tapering and 

 mucronate, scarious at the margin. Petals notched. Stamens 3. 



Seacoast, Devon and Cornwall. Annual ; June-August. 



Sub-Order Illecebre^. — Leaves dilated, ovate or oblong. 



CoRRiGiOLA, Lin. — Annual plants, with prostrate stems, and 

 scattered, very entire, and slightly fleshy leaves. Flowers very 

 small, in lateral and terminal clusters, surrounded by the floral 

 leaves. Sepals 5, concave, cohering at the base. Petals 5, per- 

 sistent, oblong, slightly longer than the sepals. Stamens 5. 

 Stigmas 3, very short, nearly sessile. Capsule crustaceous, ovate- 

 trigonous (three-sided) , one-seeded, indehiscent, enveloped in the 

 persistent calyx. 



C. littoralis, Lin. Sand Strapwort. — e.b. 668. l.b.s. 396. 

 A. 1. C. 2. Lat. 50-51°. Alt. 0- ? yds. Tern. 52°. 



Stems prostrate, slender, branched, elongate, leafy, furrowed. 

 Leaves oblong, tapering below, glaucous. Flowers in dense, ter- 

 minal clusters at the extremity of the stem or branches. Calyx 

 more or less coloured. Sepals scarious, whitish at the margins. 

 Petals notched, pure white. 



In the south-west of England, near the coast. Annual ; June- 

 September. 



Herniaria, Lin. — Annual or biennial plants, with prostrate 

 stems aild opposite or alternate leaves. Flowers small, herba- 

 ceous. Sepals 5, slightly or scarcely concave, cohering at the 

 base. Petals 5, filiform, inserted on a fleshy disc (ring), which 

 covers (?) the throat of the calyx. Stigmas 2, very short, nearly 

 sessile. Capsule membranous, oblong, one-seeded, indehiscent, 

 enveloped by the persistent calyx. 



H. glabra, Lin. Smooth Rupture-wort . — e.b. 206. l.b.s. 397. 

 A. 4. C. 8. Lat. 50-54°. Alt. 0-100 yds. Tern. 53-48°. 



Stems prostrate, much branched, round, nearly glabrous, flow- 



