53 '; ELATINACE.K. 



with opposite or alternate, entire leaves, and scarious stipules. 

 Flowers minute, with scarious bracts. 



1. ANYCHIA. Mich. Forked Chickweed. 



(From the Greek ovv, ow^oj, a, finger-nail; on account of its reputed virtue 

 in curing whitlows.) 



Calyx 5-parted. Sepals connivent, subsaccate, callous at the 

 aptx. Petals none. Stamens 3 5 ; filaments distinct. Styles 

 short ; stigmas 2, subcapitate. Capsule indehiscent, utricular, 

 1 -seeded, surrounded by the persistent calyx. 



1. A. dichotoma Mich.: stem erect or spreading, dichotomously branched, 

 pubescent, leaves opposite, lanceolate, smooth; flowers solitary, terminal 

 and axillary, very minute, on very short pedicels, about as long as the stip- 

 ules. A. Canade-nsis Ell. Queria Canadensis Linn. 



Dry soils. Can. to Geor. W. to Ark. July, Aug. (T).Stem 612 inches 

 high, very pubescent, with numerous forking almost filiform branches, often 

 purple. Flowers very minute, solitary in the forks of the stem, greenish. A 

 very variable plant. Common Forked Chicktveed. 



2. A. capillacea D. C. : stem very smooth and slender ; leaves ovate ; 

 stipules shorter than the flowers ; flowers remote. A. dichotoma Torr. <$ Gr. 

 Queria capillacea Nutt. 



Pine barrens. N. J. Aug. . Perhaps only a variety of the preceding. 



Capillary Forked Chickweed. 



2. SPERGULA. Linn. Spurrey. 

 (From the Latin spargo, to scatter; from the seeds being so widely dispersed.) 



Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5, entire. Stamens 5 10. Styles 

 3 5. Capsule ovate, 5-celled, 5-valved. 



1. arvensis Linn. : leaves whorled, with minute stipules at the base ; 

 panicle dichotomous ; flowers decandrous ; peduncles of the fruit reflexed ; 

 seeds spherical, somewhat hispid, black, with a narrow margin. 



Sandy Fields. Can. to Geor. W. to the Columbia river. June Aug. d). 

 Stem 612 inches high, swelling at the joints. leaves narrow-linear, whorled. 

 Flowers in a panicle, white. According to Sir W. Hooker, the margin of the 

 seed varies greatly in its breadth. (Brit. Fl.) Introduced from Europe. 



Corn Spurrey. Tares. 



2. saginoides Linn. : stems creeping ; leaves opposite linear, smooth, 

 awnless ; peduncles solitary, very long ; petals oblong, obtuse, as long as 

 the calyx ; seeds kidney-form, punctate. $. decumbens Ell. Sagina de- 

 cumbens Torr. fy Gr. 



Sandy fields. Can. to Louis. W. to the Pacific Ocean. April July. (1). 

 Stems 24 inches long, decumbent. Flowers erect, white. Resembles Sagina 

 procumbens. Introduced I Pearlwort Spurrey. 



ORDER XX. ELATINACE^E. WATERWORTS. 

 Sepals 2 5, distinct, or slightly connate at the base. Petals 

 hypogynous, alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many or 



