48 FRANKENIACE^!. [FRANKKMA. 



enclosed in the persistent calyx, 3-5-valved. Seeds oblong, raphe linear, 

 testa crustaceous, albumen mealy; embryo axile, straight. DISTIMI:. 

 Temp, and warm regions, chiefly littoral ; genera 1 ; species about 12. 

 AFFINITY with Carophyllece and Tamariscincce. PROPERTIES none. 

 1. FRANKE'NIA. SEA-HEATH. 



Characters of the order. 



1. F. lae'vis, L. ; stem pubescent, leaves with revolute margins. 

 Salt marshes on S.E. coasts of England, Yarmouth to Kent; fl. July- Aug. 



Perennial, procumbent. Stems wiry. Leaves ~i in., fascicled or whorled, 



oblong but linear from the reflexed margins, glabrous, ciliate at the base. 



Fluirers small, rose-coloured. Capsule 3-gonous. DiSTRlB. Central and S. 



Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia to India. 



ORDER XII. CARYOPH YL LE;E. 



Herbs sometimes woody at the base, with thickened nodes. Leaves 

 opposite, usually connate at the base, entire ; stipules 0, or small and 

 scarious. Inflorescence definite, centrifugal. Sepals 4-5, free or connate, 

 imbricate in bud. Petals 4-5 (rarely 0), hypogynous, rarely perigynous, 

 imbricate or contorted in bud. Stamens 8-10, rarely fewer, maerted 

 with the petals, filaments filiform. Disk annular hypogynous or perigynous, 

 or elongated, or broken up into glands. Ovary free, 1 -celled, or 3-5- 

 celled at the base ; styles 2-5, free or connate below, stigmatose on the 

 inner surface ; ovules 2 9r more, on slender basal funicles, which are 

 often connate into a short column, ainphitropal, micropyle inferior or 

 transverse. Capsule dehiscing by valves. Seeds many, small, often reni- 

 form, albumen floury rarely fleshy; embryo cylindric, curved, radicle 

 incumbent. DISTRIB. Cosmopolitan, but chiefly Arctic, Alpine, Euro- 

 pean, and W. Asiatic ; genera 35, species 800. AFFINITIES with Parony- 

 chiece, Portulaczce, and Ctienopodiacece. PROPERTIES unimportant. 

 TRIBE I. SILE NE.7E. Calyx 4-5-lobed. I>isk elongated, bearing the petals 

 and stamens. Styles free. Stipules 0. 



* Hilum on, the face of ttie peltate seed. Embryo straight 1 . Dianthus. 



** Hilum lateral. Embryo annular. 



Styles 2. Capsule 4-valved 1*. &;;/,,/,/. 



Styles 3. Capsule 3-6-valved 2. Silene. 



Styles 4-5. Capsule 4-5-8-10-valved. 



Petals appendiculate 3. Lychnis. 



Petals exappeudiculate 4. Githago. 



TRIBE II. ALSI NEJE. Sepals free. Disk small. Styles free. 

 * Stipules 0. 



Capsule cylindric, 6-valved. Petals jagged. Styles 3 5. Holosteum. 



Capsule cylindric, 8-10-valved. Petals notched (rarely entire).. 6. Cerastium. 



Capsule globose, 6-10-valved ; styles 3-5. Petals 2-fid 7. Stellaria. 



Capsule 3, 4, 6, or 10-valved. Styles 3-4. Petals entire 8. Arenaria. 



Capsule 4-5-valved. Styles 4-5. Petals entire or 9. Sagina. 



** Stipules scarious. 



Styles and valves of capsule 5 10. Spergula. 



Styles and valves of capsule 3 11. Spergularia. 



