Frankenia.'] xvi. frankeniace^ (oliver). I37 



bent, much-forking herb, a few inclies in height, with opposite, obovatc oval 

 or rotundate, often fascicled leaves, usually mealv-puber'doiis or setulose- 

 pubescent beneath, Hattish or with the margins more or h'ss recurved, nar- 

 rowed into short ciliolate or nearly glabrous petioles, less than } in. in length. 

 Calyx tubular, with short acute teeth, equalling the leaves. Filaments mem- 

 branous, dilated, tapering above and below. 



Upper Guinea. Senegal, Sieber ! and others. 



A wide spread species of shores and salt-deserts, occurring in S. Europe, India and at the 

 Cape. ' 



Okder XVir. CARYOPHYLLACEJE (by Prof. Oliver). 



Flowers regular, hermaphrodite or rarely diclinous by abortion. Calyx 

 polysepalous ; sepals 4 or 5, imbricate, or gamosepalous, toothed. Petals as 

 many as sepals or calyx-teeth, entire 2-fid or toothed, sessile or clawed, some- 

 times minute or 0. Stamens 8-10 or fewer, free or alteniately adnale to the 

 claw of the opposed petal. Ovary free, sessile or shortly stipitale, 1-celled or 

 imperfectly divided at the base, with a free central or basal placenta; stvlea 

 2-5, free or connate, stigmatose above on the inner side ; ovules indefinite 

 or rarely definite. Fruit usually a dry capsule, dehiscing by teeth or valves. 

 Seeds usually indefinite, with a mealy albumen and more or less curved peri- 

 pherical or excentric embryo. — Annual or perennial herbs, often woody below. 

 Leaves opposite, entire, exstipulate or stipules membranous. Flowerssolilary 

 or in forking or fascicled cymes. 



A numerous Order in the north temperate zoue aud in arctic regions , very rare between 

 the tropics, and generally confined to mountainous countries. But one genus, Uebe/inia, is 

 confined to tropical Africa. 



Calyx gamosejtalous. 



Styles 2 1. Dianthl-s. 



Styles 3 . . 2. Silknk. 



Styles 5. Stamens 5 3. UEBtLi.siA. 



Calyx pofysepalous. 



Styles free. 

 Stipules 0. 



Styles 5. Capsule tubular or ovoid-oblong, dehiscing by 10 teeth, 



exserted 4. Cerastiim. 



Styles 3. Petals 2-fid 5. Stkm.aria. 



Styles 3. Petals entire 6. Arenaria. 



Styles 4-6. Capsule dehiscing by as many valves as styles . . . 7- Saoi.na. 

 Stipules minute, scarious. 



Styles and valves of capsule 3 8. Spekoilaku. 



Styles and valves of capsule 5 Speboula, p. I43. 



Styles connate below. 

 Ovules 5-QO. 



Petals divided. Stipules minute *. Drymaria. 



Petals entire. Sepals keeled 10. I'oluakpon. 



Petals entire or nearly so. Sepals not keeled. Stipules scarious, 



usually conspicuous 11- PorrcARrJtA. 



Ovules 2. Fruit-heads setose 12. Spm^bocoma. 



