ALSINEiE. (CHICKWEED FAMILY.) 157 



date-ovate, acuminate. Cyme loose ; pedicels long, reflexed in fruit ; 

 sepals ovate, obtuse, growing in fruit ; petals and capsule longer than 

 calyx — Spring — Moist places ; central Palestine. 



10. SPERGULA, L. Spurrey. 



Sepals 5, fleshy, herbaceous, with membranous margins. Petals 5, 

 inserted at bottom of calyx. Stamens 5-10, inserted on a perigynous 

 ring. Styles 5, alternating with sepals. Capsule parted into 5 valves, 

 opposite the sepals ; placenta central, columnar ; seeds lenticular, 

 margined or winged, with fungous, thickened funicle — Annual herbs 

 with slender, filiform, clustered, somewhat whorled leaves. 



1. S. arven§is, L. .1 to .3, green. Leaves grooved beneath. 



Petals ovate, obtuse ; seeds globular-lenticular^ minutely tutercled or 

 white-papillose^ with narrow margins — April and May — Sandy places; 

 not rare. 



2. S. pentandra, L. .1 to .15, glaucescent. Leaves not 

 grooved beneath. Petals lanceolate, acute ; seeds flattened, with a 

 white wmg, as broad as disk, radiate-striate — Spring — Near Gaza. 



11. SPERGUL.ARIA, Pers. Spuhiiey Sandwort. 



Sepals 5, scarious-margined. Petals 5, entire, inserted at bottom 

 of calyx. Stamens 5-10, rarely 2-3, inserted on a perigynous ring. 

 Styles 3, rarely 5. Capsules 3- (rarely 5-) parted ; placenta central, 

 columnar, seeds pear-shaped, or flattened-lenticular, scarious-margined 

 or wingless — Annual or perennial herbs, with opposite, filiform, fleshy 

 leaves, and reflexed fruiting pedicels, 



1. S, rubra, L. Wahl. or If .1 to .2, more or less glandu- 

 lar ; stems ascending. Cymes leafi/ ; sepals lanceolate^ scarious-margin- 

 ed ; petals reddish, obovate, as long as calyx ; stamens 5-10 ; capsule 

 nearly as long as calyx ; seeds tdangular-obovate, wingless, wrinkled, 

 thick-margined — Spring — Roadsides ; common, especially along 

 coast. 



2. S. diandra, Guss. .1 to .15, glandular, or glabrescent 

 below ; stems erect or ascending. Cymes leafless ; sepals oblong^ 

 scarious-margined ; petals red, ovate, somewhat shorter than calyx ; 

 stamens 2-3 ; capsule somewhat longer than calyx ; seeds triangular- ob- 

 ovate, wingless, roughish, thick-margined — Spring — Sandy places ; 

 common, especially in interior. 



3. S. media, Wahl. orl^; .15 to .25, pubescent-glandular ; 

 stems prostrate or ascending. Cyme leafy ; sepals lanceolate, scarious- 

 margined, usually with a gland at each side of base ; petals obovate, 

 longer than calyx ; stamens 5-10 ; capsule a little longer than calyx ; 

 seeds smooth, wingless — Spring — Moist places along coast. 



4. S. mar;^inata, DC. % .1 to .25, glabrescent below, pubes- 

 cent-glandular above ; stems prostrate or ascending. Cymes racemose, 

 nearly leafless ; sepals lanceolate, with broad, scarious margins, and 



