SPECIES AND VARIETIES. 255 



spreading panicles; fruit rather small, slightly granulated. — 

 Marshes and wet plaees. Fl. July. 



G. uliginosum differs chiefly from this in having the leaves 

 six or eight in a whorl, narrower, and terminated by a fine 

 point. 



%% Leaves in ivTiorls of six or eight. 



G. saxatile : stems much branched, often tufted at the base, 

 the flowering ones numerous, weak, six inches rarely a foot 

 high, smooth or nearly so on the angles ; leaves 6-8 in a 

 whorl, occasionally on the barren shoots only 4-5, the lower 

 ones small and obovate, the upper narrow, all with a little 

 point at the tip, the edges smooth or rough ; flowers, nume- 

 rous, white, in short terminal panicles, their lobes scarcely 

 pointed ; fruits small, more or less granulated. — Open heaths 

 and pastures. — Fl. June to August. 



G. Mollugo : stems 1-3 feet long, smooth, shining, more or 

 less branched ; leaves usually eight in a whorl, obovate, oblong, 

 or linear, more or less rough on the edges, always terminated 

 by a little point ; flowers white, numerous, in large terminal 

 panicles, their lobes ending in a small point; fruit small, 

 smooth or slightly granulated. — Hedges, thickets, and rich 

 pastures. Fl. July, August. ^ 



A more erect narrower-leaved form closely allied to this, is 

 called G. erectum. 



ft Fruits bristly. 

 G. Aparine : annual ; stems several feet in length, scram- 

 bling over bushes, to which they cling by means of recurved 

 prickles on their angles and on the edges and midribs of 

 the leaves ; leaves 6-8 in a whorl, linear or linear-lanceolate ; 

 peduncles opposite and axillary, rather longer than the leaves, 

 bearing a loose cyme of 3-10 small, greenish- white flowers ; 



