Caryophyllaceae 43 



Suborder 4. Caryophyllineae. Flowers hctero- 

 chlamydeous with equal number of sepals and petals, 

 cyclic throughout, sometimes apopetalous. 



Fam. 5. Caryophyllaceae. Herbs, rarely shrubs, 

 with opposite, rarely spiral, entire leaves. Stipules o 

 or scarious. Floivers mostly in dichasia, cyclic, usually 

 heterochlamydeous, 5 rarely 4-merous. Stamens usually 

 in two whorls. Carpels (5-2) with i-oo ovules on a free 

 central or basal placenta. Fruit usually capsular. 



Subfamily i. Alsinoideae. Sepals free. Stamens 

 often perigynous. Styles free or united. 



a. Petals usually conspicuous. Capsule opening 

 with teeth. 



Tribe i. Alsineae. Stipules o. Styles free. 

 Cymes lax. Petals bifid. Capsules globose. Stellaria. 

 Cymes usually lax. Petals bifid. Capsules cylindric. 

 Cerastium (including Moenchia). 

 Cymes corymbose. Petals jagged. Capsules cylindric. 



Holosteum. 

 Petals entire. Styles 3-4 (carpels fewer than sepals). 



Arenaria. 

 Petals entire or o. Styles 4-5 (carpels isomerous). 



Sagina. 



Tribe 2. Sperguleae. Stipules scarious. Styles free. 

 Petals white. Carpels and styles 5. Spergula. 



Petals white or pink. Carpels and styles 3. 



Spergularia. 

 Tribe 3. Polycarpeae, Stipules scarious. Styles 

 united below. 



Only British genus : Polycarpon. 



b. Petals inconspicuous or absent. Fruit indehiscent. 



