420 ALSINACEAE 



1. Alsinopsis uniflora (Walt. ) Small. Annual, slender, glabrate. Stem weak, decum- 

 bent or ascending, 1-3 dm. tall, simple or sparingly branched : leaves few ; blades linear, 

 1-4 cm. long, acute, sessile : pedicels filiform, elongated, 2-8 cm. long : flowers terminal 

 and solitary on small plants, axillary and terminal on more robust plants : sepals lanceolate, 

 4-5 mm. long, acute, minutely pubescent : petals linear-cuneate, twice as long as the 

 sepals, notched at the apex : capsules ovoid, slightly shorter than the sepals : seeds about 

 0.5 mm. broad. [Stellaria uniflora Walt.] 



In meadows or springy places, North Carolina to Alabama and Florida. Spring. 



2. Alsinopsis Nuttallii (T. &G. ) Small. Annual, more or less densely glandular- 

 pilose. Stem simple or branched at the base, the branches erect or ascending, 0.5-2 dm. 

 tall, often forking above : leaves few ; i blades linear or linear-oblong, 1-3 cm. long, obtuse 

 or acutish, sessile: pedicels 1-2 cm. long : buds drooping : flowers 1-1.5 cm. broad : sepals 

 ovate or oval, about 5 mm. long, obtuse, glandular-pilose and ciliate : petals oblong- 

 cuneate, deeply emarginate, delicately striate, each contracted into a short claw : capsules 

 ovoid, 4-5 mm. long, slightly acuminate : seeds 1 mm. broad. [Stellaria Nuttallii T. & G.] 



On moist prairies, Arkansas to Louisiana and Texas. Spring. 



3. Alsinopsis Groenlandica (Retz. ) Small. Annual or perennial, rather fleshy, 

 glabrous. Stems tufted, 3-20 cm. tall, erect or decumbent, sparingly forked : leaf-blades 

 filiform to subulate, 0.3-1.5 cm. long, the basal in a dense cluster, the cauline in several 

 pairs : pedicels filiform, 0.5-1. 5 cm. long : sepals oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 3-4 mm. long, 

 obtuse, with scarious margins : petals obovate, about twice as long as the sepals, rounded or 

 notched at the apex : capsules ovoid, or rarely subglobose or nearly oblong, 5-6 mm. long, 

 obtuse : seeds nearly 1 mm. Abroad. [Stellaria Groenlandica Retz.] 



In rocky soil, Greenland to Maine and New Jersey. Also in the mountains of New York, Penn- 

 sylvania and' North Carolina. Spring and summer. 



4. Alsinopsis brevifolia (Nutt. ) Small. Annual, very slender, glabrous. Stems erect 

 or ascending, often tufted, simple below or branched at the base, the branches often forked, 

 wire-like, 2-12 cm. tall : leaves fleshy ; the basal with linear-spatulate blades, 8-12 mm. 

 long ; the stem-leaves with minute or subulate terete blades 2-6 mm. long, acutish, ses- 

 sile : pedicels very slender, 1-3 cm. long : sepals ovate-lanceolate, 3 mm. long, obtuse, 

 hyaline-margined, forming a turbinate-campanulate calyx with a flat base : corolla white, 

 about 8 mm. broad : petals spatulate, 5 mm. long, fluted, emarginate, yellowish at the base : 

 capsules oblong or oblong-ovoid, 4 mm. long, acuminate. [Arenaria 'brevifolia Nutt.] 



On granite rocks, North Carolina to Georgia and Alabama. Spring. 



5. Alsinopsis glabra (Michx. ) Small. Annual or perennial, slender, glabrous. Stems 

 usually tufted, erect or ascending, 0.5-3 dm. tall, wire-like, forking, often bushy : leaf- 

 blades narrowly linear or nearly filiform, 1-2.5 cm. long, obtuse or acutish : pedicels fili- 

 form, 1-4 cm. long: sepals oblong or ovate-oblong, 2. 5-3- mm. long, obtuse, hyaline-margined, 

 nerveless : petals spatulate, about twice as long as the sepals : capsules ovoid, 3 mm. long, 

 slightly surpassing the sepals : seeds'about 1 mm. broad. [Arenaria glabra Michx.] 



In cliffs on the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Summer. 



6. Alsinopsis patula ( Michx. ) Small. Annual, slender, often puberulent. Stems 

 tufted, more or less branched at the base, the branches wire-like or filiform, 4-30 cm. tall, 

 forking : leaves fleshy ; blades linear or filiform, 1-4 cm. long, spreading : pedicels 

 slender, 0.5-4 cm. long : sepals lanceolate, 3.5-5 mm. long, acuminate, usually slightly 

 glandular, with 3-5 hard rib-like nerves : petals white, about twice as long as the sepals, 

 retuse or notched at the apex : capsules ovoid-oblong, about as long as the sepals, the 

 valves obtuse : seeds about 0.5 mm. broad, minutely tuberculate. [Arenaria pa tula Michx.] 



In rocky woods, Minnesota to Alabama and Texas. Spring. 



7. Alsinopsis Texana (Robinson) Small. Perennial, slender, glabrous. Stems 

 branched at the base, the branches tufted, forking above, often densely leafy below the 

 middle : leaves firm ; blades subulate, 0.5-1 cm. long, straight or slightly curved : pedicels 

 slender, 0.5-1.5 cm. long : sepals narrowly lanceolate, 5-6 mm. long, long-acuminate with 

 3 hard rib-like nerves : petals white, 6-8 mm. long : capsules much shorter than the 

 sepals : seeds 0.8 mm. broad. [Arenaria stricta var. Texana Robinson. ] 



On rocky hillsides, Kansas to Texas. Spring and summer. 



8. Alsinopsis stricta ( Michx. ) Small. Perennial, slender, glabrous. Stems diffusely 

 branched at the base, the branches erect or ascending, or sometimes decumbent, 1-3 dm. 

 long, simple or sparingly forked above, commonly leafy to the middle : leaves firm, often 

 fascicled ; blades linear-subulate, 8-15 cm. long, curved, sessile : pedicels filiform, 0.5-4 

 cm. long: sepals firm, ovate, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, acuminate, 3-nerved : petals narrowly 

 obovate, about twice as long as the sepals, rounded at the apex : capsules ovoid, about 

 equalling the sepals in length : seeds 1 mm. broad. [Arenaria stricta Michx.] 



On rocky hillsides or cliffs, Vermont to Minnesota and South Carolina. Spring and summer. 



