532 



PART IV. CLASSIFICATIONS 



or with a single basal ovule : fruit usually a capsule : leaves 

 opposite, decussate : stems usually tumid at the nodes. 



Tribe 1. Ahinea. The corolla and the inner whorl of stamens are 

 usually present ; the calyx is eleutherosepalous ; fruit a capsule ; usually 

 no stipules. 



The British genera are Sagina (Pearl-Avort), Arenaria (Sand-wort), 

 Cerastium, Stellaria (Chick-weeds and Stitch-worts), Spergula (Spurrey), 

 Lepigonum, Holosteum, Moenchia ; they are mostly small herbaceous 

 plants with white petals, occurring in meadows, on roadsides, etc., but 

 species of Lepigonum (Spergularia), the Sandwort-Spurrey, and Arenaria 

 (Honckenya) peploides, Sea-Purslane, grow on the sea-coast ; they are dis- 

 tinguished from each other principally by the number of carpels present, 

 and by the mode of dehiscence of the fruit. 



Tribe 2. Silenece. The 

 corolla and the inner whorl 

 of stamens are always pre- 

 sent : the calyx is gamo- 

 sepalous ; stamens 10, fila- 

 ments connate at base : the 

 fruit is a capsule (in Cucu- 

 balus a berry) : the leaves 

 have no stipules ; the floral 

 axis often elongated between 

 the calyx and the corolla 

 (Fig. 344 y} : the petals (as in 

 Lychnis and Saponaria) often 

 have ligular appendages 

 (Fig. 344 x : see p. 459). 



The species of Dianthus, 

 the Pink, which commonly 

 Fie. 344.-Longitudinal section of the flower of oc eur w ild are D. deltoides, 

 Lychnis Flos Jovis-. y prolonged axis (anthophore; ^ . and D Armeria . 

 see p. 444) between the calyx and the corolla; * 



ligular appendages or corona. {After Sachs.) D - Caryophyllus, the Carna- 



tion, and D. chinensis, are 



well-known garden flowers ; there are two styles, and the calyx is sur- 

 rounded at its base by bracteoles. The genus Saponaria has two stj-les 

 but no bracteoles; S. officinalis, the Soap- wort, occurs on the banks of 

 rivers. The genus Silene (Catchfly) has three styles; S. inflata, unions, 

 and others, are common in meadows. The genus Lychnis (Campion) has 

 five styles ; the species alba (vespertina) and diurna are dioecious; L. Githayo, 

 the Corn-cockle, is common in fields. 



Tribe 3. Polycarpece. Leaves with scarious stipules : calyx eleutherose- 

 palous; the corolla is present, but the inner whorl of stamens is wanting : 

 style 3-fid. This group includes the British genus Polycarpon (Allseed) 

 and others. 



Tribe 4. Paronychiece. Sepals distinct or coherent : the corolla and the 



