CARYOPHYLLE^E. XL. ODONTOSTEMMA. XLI. LEUCOSTEMMA. ELATINE^E. I. MERIMEA, &c. LINE^E. 449 



is which separates it from Gypsophila, we are not at present 

 acquainted with, unless that the capsule may be 4-valved. 



XL. ODONTOSTE'MMA (from oiiovc olovTot, odous odon- 

 tos, a tooth, arrcfj.fja, stemma, a crown ; in allusion to the toothed 

 petals). . Benth. mss. in Lin. soc. herb. 



LIN, SYST. Decdndria, Digynia. Calyx 5-leaved. Petals 

 5, cuneiform, toothed at the apex. Stamens 10. Styles 2, re- 

 curved. Capsule 1 -celled, 4-valved, many-seeded. Herb with 

 the habit of Cerdstium. Leaves elliptic, oblong, sessile, obtuse, 

 hairy on both sides ; in fact the whole plant is clothed with 

 glandular hairs. Panicle trichotomous. Flowers white. 



1 O. GLANDULOSA (Benth. 1. c.). y.. F. Native of Ka- 

 moon. 



Glandular Odontostemma. PI. 1 foot. 



Cult. This plant will grow in any common garden-soil. It 

 requires to be protected during winter. Not worth cultivating, 

 unless in general collections. 



XLI. LEUCOSTE'MMA (from Xtvrac, leucos, white, and 

 arififia, stemma, a crown ; flowers white). Benth. mss. in Lin. 

 soc. herb. 



LIN. SYST. Decdndria, Digynia. Calyx 5-leaved. Petals 

 5, bipartite or emarginate, with long claws. Stamens 10. Styles 

 2. Capsule 1-celled, 4-valved, many-seeded. Plants resembling 

 Stellaria in habit, with white flowers. 



1 L. WEBBIA'NA (Benth. 1. c.) plant spreading, smooth ; leaves 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminated; peduncles 1 -flowered, axillary; 

 sepals acuminated ; petals deeply bipartite. If.. F. Native of 

 Kamoon. 



IVcbb's Leucostemma. PI. \ to ^ foot. 



2 L. LATIFOLIA (Benth. 1. c.) diffuse, smooth ; leaves ovate, 

 mucronate, upper ones nearly lanceolate ; sepals acuminated ; 

 peduncles terminal, solitary, 1 -flowered ; petals emarginate. 

 If. F. Native of Kamoon. 



Broad-leaved Leucostemma. PI. creeping. 



Cult. The species of Leucostemma will thrive in any com- 

 mon soil, and are easily increased by dividing the plants or by 

 seed. 



Post no. 53. p. 492 SILE'NE CISPLATE'NSIS (St. Hil. fl. bras. 2. 

 p. 163. t. 108.) hairy stem, branched; leaves lanceolate, lower ones 

 obtuse, upper ones smaller, acutish ; flowers laxly racemose, erect ; 

 calyx silky-hairy, cylindrical when in flower, but at length be- 

 coming clavate ; teeth short, acute ; petals obcordate, crowned 

 in the throat. () H. Native about Monte Video in sandy 

 places, and to the south of the river Plate. Flowers bluish-violet. 



Cisplatine Catchfly. Fl. June, July. PI. 1 foot. 



ORDER XXVIII. ELATI'NE^E (plants agreeing with Eld- 

 tine in important characters.) Cambess. in St. Hil. fl. bras. 2. 

 p. 159. 



A small family of plants, nearly allied to the Caryophyllece, 

 from which they differ essentially in the organization of their 

 stigmas, of their capsules, and of their seeds. The stigmas are 

 capitate. The valves of the capsules are bent inwards at the 

 margins, so much as to form dissepiments. The seeds are with- 

 out albumen. They differ from Hypericinece, with which they 

 agree in certain analogies, by the existence of a true central 

 placenta, and by their stamens being definite in number, &c. 

 M. Cambessedes agrees with M. Bartling, who has united the 

 Chenopbdece, Amaranthiicece, Paronychiece,an&the Caryophyllete 

 in one natural class, in spite of the difference of the insertion of 

 their stamina, as they agree in most other respects. This order 

 VOL. i. PART. v. 



contains only three genera, the Merimea, Camb., Eldtine, Lin. 

 and Bergia, Lin. The two last genera with their species will 

 be found in Caryophyllece, therefore we shall only give amended 

 characters of the genera here, and refer to the preceding Order 

 for the species. 



Synopsis of the genera. 



1 MERI'MEA. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5. Stamens 10. 

 Styles 5. Capsule 5-valved, 5-celled, many-seeded ; valves sepa- 

 rating, bent in at the margins so as to constitute dissepiments. 



2 ELA'TINE. Calyx 3-4-parted. Petals 3-4. Stamens 3-8. 

 Styles 3-4, crowned by capitate stigmas. Capsule 3-4-valved, 3-4- 

 celled, many-seeded ; valves separating, bent in at the margins, 

 constituting dissepiments. 



3 BE'RGIA. Calyx 5-parted. Petals 5. Styles 5, approxi- 

 mate. Capsule 5-valved, 5-celled, from the edges of the valves 

 being bent inwards. 



I. MERI'MEA (in memory of Prospero Merimee, an ancient 

 botanist, whose name is now almost forgot.) Cambess. in St. 

 Hil. fl. bras. 2. p. 160. 



LIN. SYST. Decdndria, Pentagynia. Calyx 5-parted. Pe- 

 tals 5. Stamens 10. Styles 5, connate at the base. Capsule 

 5-valved, 5-celled, separating at the valves ; valves bent inwards 

 at the margins, so much as to constitute dissepiments. Seeds 

 fixed to a 5-lobed central placenta, they are elliptical-oblong. 

 Embryo straight. A small plant with oblong-lanceolate, sessile, 

 serrated, pilose leaves, and axillary, solitary, stalked small white 

 flowers. 



1 M. ARENARIOI'DES (Camb. 1. c.) I/. G. Native of Brazil 

 in the province of Minas Geraes. 



Sand-wort-like Merimea. PL creeping. 



Cult. An insignificant plant, only worth cultivating in bota- 

 nical gardens or those of the curious. An equal mixture of 

 sand and loam will suit it well, and it may be propagated by 

 seed or dividing the plant. 



II. ELA'TINE (tXar?), elate, a fir ; resemblance in leaves). 

 Lin. gen. no. 685. GsErt. fruct. 2. p. 142. t. 10'2. f. 1. 



For the generic character of this genus as well as the specific 

 character of the species, see p. 420. genus 21. of this work, 

 under Order Caryophyllece, from which it has been removed to 

 the present order by M. Cambessedes. 



III. BE'RGIA (in honour of Peter Jonas Bergius, a profes- 

 sor of natural history at Stockholm, who wrote several botanical 

 works between 1757 and 1780, particularly on mosses, and 

 plants of the Cape of Good Hope). Lin. gen. 791. D. C. 

 prod. 1. p. 390. 



For the generic and specific characters of this genus see 

 p. 420. genus no. 22. under Caryophyllece, from which it has 

 been removed to the present order by M. Cambessedes. 



ORDER XXIX. LI'NE.iE (plant agreeing with Linum in im- 

 portant characters). D. C. theor. ed. 1. p. 217. prod. 1. p. 423. 



Calyx of 3-4, but usually of 5 sepals (f. 82. a.) hardly con- 

 nected at the base, continuous with the peduncle, permanent, 

 imbricate in aestivation. Petals equal in number to the sepals, 

 and alternating with them (f. 82. 6.), hypogynous, unguiculate 

 at the base, connected with the ring of the stamens, as well 

 as sometimes being connected together at the base, twisted 

 in aestivation. Stamens equal in number with the petals, 

 3 M 



