218 M<ENCIHA TILL^EA. 



Root tapering, fibrous below. Stem at the base creeping, ascending 

 at the extremity ; about four inches high ; leafy, round, smooth, and 

 branched; green or purplish. Leaves shorter than the last, obtuse, 

 sometimes terminated by a minute point, and rounded on the back. 

 Peduncles smooth, about an inch long, erect and slender. Calyx leaves 

 membranous at the edge, ovate or obtuse. Petals entirely wanting. 



" Mr. Don found sometimes eight stamens. Professor Hooker says 

 the petals are entirely wanting, nor can 1 find any. The edges of the 

 calyx are occasionally violet-coloured." Smith. 



GENUS XXII. MCEN'CHIA, HOOKER, Mamchia. 



GEN. CHAR. Calyx inferior, of four permanent equal leaves. Petals, 

 four, shorter than the calyx. Capsule slightly ovute, the length of 

 the calyx, of one cell, opening at the summit, with eight to ten 

 minute teeth. Seeds, many, attached to the receptafcle. Named 

 in compliment to Conrad Mcench, Professor of Botany at Hesse 

 Cassel. 



Herbaceous, small, smooth herbs, having the habit of cerastium. 



1. M. erec'ta, Smith, (Fig. 285,) Upright Mcenchia. 



English Bot. t. 509. English Flora, vol, i., p. 241. Hooker, British 

 Flora, vol. i., p. 80. Lindley's Synopsis, p. 49. 



A small, erect, smooth, glaucous herb, rising to the height of from 

 two to four inches. Leaves opposite, lanceolate, sessile, entire. Calyx 

 leaves large, white, membranous at the margin. Petals, length of the 

 calyx, white, and shining. 



This is the Sagina erecta of Linnaeus, and of Smith, in English 

 Botany, t. 609 ; and the latter author, in the English Flora, has the 

 following remarks : " An elegant little plant, certainly misplaced in 

 Sagina, as its habit and the structure of its capsules evince. The un- 

 certainty of its genus is hinted at in Fl. Brit, and English Bot., though 

 1 had not then seen Ehrhart's work, to consider his characters. The 

 original specific name erecta ought not to be changed : we may be 

 thankful to get rid of Quatemella." 



GENUS XXIII. TILLJE'A, LINN. TW<ea. 



Calyx, three to four deeply spreading, ovate segments. Capsules, three 

 to four, two-seeded, oblong, recurved, bursting lengthways, two- 

 celled and two-valved. Named in compliment to Michael ARgelo 

 Tilli, an Italian Botanist, and author of a Catalogue of Plants 

 grown in the Medical Garden at Pisa, 1723. 



1. T. musco'sa, Linn. (Fig. 280,) Mossy Tillcca. Stems procumbent, 

 branched. " Flowers axillary, sessile, three-cleft. 



English Botany, t. 1 1C. English Flora, vol. i., p. 242. Lindley's 

 Synopsis, p. G3. Hooker, British Flora, p. 80. 



Ronta fibrous. Stems round, leafy, about two inches long, at first 



