54 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



1 8. BUFFONIA, L. 



Sepals 4, membranous ; petals 4 ; stamens 4 ; styles 2 ; 

 capsule opening with two valves. Plants of a rush-like 

 habit ; not alpine. 



B. macrosperma, Gay (paniculata, Del.); inflorescence 

 compound, crowded, leaves setaceous; gravelly places; 

 Southern Switzerland, Dauphiny. 



19. SAGINA, L. 



Flowers usually small, solitary, on long stalks ; sepals 

 4-5; petals 4-5, often wanting; stamens 4-10; styles 

 4-5 ; capsule opening by 4-5 valves ; leaves subulate, 

 connate at the base. Small caespitose inconspicuous 

 plants. 



A. Sepals and petals usually 4 : The English species of 

 Pearlwort, S. procumbens, L., with very small petals, and 

 apetala, L., usually apetalous, are universally diffused. 

 S. bryoides, Rchb., with ciliate leaves, is probably a 

 mountain variety of procumbens (Tirol, Carinthia), and 

 5. ciliata, Fr. (Southern Switzerland, rare), also with 

 ciliate leaves, a variety of apetala. 



B. Sepals and petals usually 5 : vS*. repens, Burn. 

 (glabra, Koch) ; glandular-hairy, petals I J-2 times as 

 long as sepals ; local ; St. Bernard, Southern Tirol, 

 Dauphiny. S. Linncet, Presl. (Spergula saginoides } L.) ; 

 petals shorter than sepals, capsule as long as sepals; 

 pastures. S. macrocarpa, Maly ; petals about as long as 

 sepals, capsule twice as long as sepals ; pastures, local. 

 The English species, vS". subulata, Presl, with the leaves 

 narrowed into a long awn; and 6\ nodosa, Fnzl., with 



