430 HERNIARIA. [CLASS v> ORDEK n> 



cblorine gas in the manufactoring of chloride of lime, is readily made 

 into carbonate of soda, and at a much lower price than it can be 

 afforded for by the former process of making it from Salsola and 

 other like plants : consequently its growth is now much less attended 

 to than formerly. 



GENUS XCI1. HERNIA'RIA. LINN. Rupture-wort. 

 Nat. Ord. PARONY'CHIE.*:. ST. HIL. 



GEN. CHAR. Calyx five-partite, slightly coloured within, persistent. 

 Stamens five, alternating with five filiform entire petals, sometimes 

 wanting. Styles very short, or wanting. Stigmas obtuse. Cap- 

 sule membranous, indehescent, single seeded, covered by the calyx. 

 Named from the supposed use of the plants in the cure of 

 Hernia. 



1. H. gla'bra, Linn. (Fig. 494 ) smooth Rupture-wort. Leaves 

 elliptic, oblong, attenuated at the base, smooth ; flowers about ten, in 

 crowded axillary clusters ; calyx smooth. 



English Botany, t. 206. English Flora, vol. ii. p. 8. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 144. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 61. 



ft. hirsuta. Stem, leaves, and calyx, more or less clothed with hairs. 



H. hirsuta, Linn. English Botany, t. 1379. English Flora, vol. 

 ii. p. 9. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 144. Lindley, Synopsis, 

 p,61. 



Root tapering, long, with deep branched fibres. Stems numerous, much 

 branched, laying prostrate upon the ground, round or slightly angular, 

 smooth, sometimes hairy, leafy, slender, occasionally putting out roots 

 from the axis of the leaves. Leaves opposite, ovate-oblong, attenuated 

 at the base into a very short footstalk, with a mid-rib and two obscure 

 lateral ones, smooth, or more generally the margin is fringed with 

 white transparent hairs, the floral leaves alternate, mostly narrower 

 than the others. Stipules between the leaves, large, ovate, acute, with 

 a ciliated margin, pale, thin, white, membranous. Flowers small, 

 pale green or yellowish, sessile, about ten, in crowded clusters in the 

 axil of the leaves, or opposite to them. Calyx of five ovate acute 

 segments, green, somewhat striated, concave within, and slightly 

 coloured at the base, the margin with a pale narrow border. Petals 

 five, narrow, pale, thin, awl-shaped, alternating with the five stamens 

 on filaments, shorter than the calyx, and with ovate rather large yellow 

 anthers. Both the petals and stamens are inserted into a fleshy disk 

 at the base of the calyx. Styles very short, or wanting. Stigmas 

 small, obtuse. Capsule enveloped in the persistent calyx, oblong, 

 acute, formed of a membranous covering indehescent, single seeded. 

 Seed small, roundish, shining black. 



