Lychnis.] XII. OARYOPHYLLACB^. 65 



to 2 feet high, slightly downy below and viscid above. Leaves few, 

 narrow-lanceolate, the lower ones stalked. Flowers in loose terminal 

 panicles, red and scentless, but remarkable for their petals cut into 4 

 linear lobes, the two middle ones the longest. Calyx short, glabrous, 

 with 10 ribs and 5 short teeth. Capsule nearly globular, opening in 

 5 teeth. 



In moist or marshy meadows and pastures, ditches, &c., throughout 

 Europe and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in 

 Britain. PL spring and summer. 



L. Viscaria, Linn. (fig. 145). Viscid L. Stock perennial, usually 

 tufted, the flowering stems erect, 6 inches to a foot high, glabrous, but 

 very viscid in the upper part. Leaves long and narrow, the lower ones 

 contracted into long stalks, which are often fringed with a few woolly 

 hairs. Flowers red, in close, sessile or shortly stalked, opposite clusters, 

 forming an oblong panicle, or sometimes a terminal head. Calyx tubu- 

 lar, about 6 lines long, with 10 veins and 5 short teeth, rather swollen 

 above the middle as the fruit ripens. Petals slightly notched. 



On rocks and rather dry hilly pastures, in northern and central Europe 

 and a great part of Russian Asia, but not an Arctic plant, and yet rare 

 in southern Europe. In Britain, confined to a few localities in North 

 Wales and Scotland, especially about Edinburgh and in Perthshire. 

 PL June. 



6. L. alpina, Linn. (fig. 146). Alpine L. Like L. Viscaria in habit 

 and foliage, but smaller and not viscid. Stems seldom 6 inches high. 

 Flowers pink, smaller than in L. Viscaria, in compact heads, the calyx 

 much shorter, and the petals narrow and deeply 2-cleft. 



In rocky situations, at high latitudes or great elevations, in Arctic and 

 northern Europe and Asia, and in the higher mountains of central Europe. 

 In Britain, only known on the summit of Little Eilrannoch, in Forfar- 

 shire, on Hobcartin Fell in Cumberland, and in Lancashire. Fl. summer. 



V. SAGINA. PEARLWORT. 



Small, matted or tufted herbs, with subulate leaves and small flowers. 

 Sepals 4 or 5. Petals 4 or 5, small, entire or slightly notched, some- 

 times entirely deficient. Stamens 4 or 5, or twice those numbers. 

 Styles 4 or 5. Capsule opening in as many valves. 



A small genus, with nearly the geographical range of Arenaria, from 

 which it only differs in the number of styles. The 5 -sty led species 

 were formerly included in Spergula, which is now reduced to one or two 

 species easily distinguished by their apparently whorled foliage. 

 Sepals, stamens, and styles usually 4. Petals as many or none 1. & procumbent. 

 Sepals, petals, and styles 6. Stamens usually 10. 



Sepals obtuse. 



Petals not longer than the calyx. Learet not clustered . 1 S. Lintuet. 

 Petals longer than the calyx. Upper leaves with clusters of 



very small ones in their axils 3. S. nodota, 



Sepals pointed Arenaria verna. 



1. S. procumbens, Linn. (fig. 147). Procumbent P. A minute 

 annual, or perennial, 1 to 2 inches or seldom 3 inches high, sometimes 

 erect from the base, especially at first, but usually branching and de- 

 cumbent at the base, forming little spreading tufts, usually glabrous, but 

 having often an exceedingly minute glandular down. Leaves small and 



* 



