52 FRANKENIACEJE. [Frankenia. 



1 FRANKENIA, L. SEA-HEATH. 

 Characters of the Order. — Etym. J. Franken, a Swedish botanist. 

 F. lse'vis, L. ; stem pubescent, leaves with revolute margins. 

 Salt marshes on S.E. coasts of England, Yarmouth to Kent ; Channel Islands ; 

 fl. July-Aug. — Perennial, procumbent; branches wiry. Leaves §-j in., 

 fascicled or whorled, oblong but linear from the reflexed margins, glabrous, 

 ciliate at the base. Flowers small, rose-coloured, dichogamous. Capsule 

 3-gonous.— Distrib. W. Europe and Africa to the Cape, W. Asia to India, 

 in salt plains. 



Order XII. caryophylleje. 



Herbs, sometimes woody below, nodes thickened. Leaves opposite, 

 bases usually connate, entire ; stipules 0, or small and scarious. In- 

 florescence definite, centrifugal. Sepals 4-5, free or connate, imbricate in 

 bud. Petals 4-5 (rarely 0), hypogynous, rarely perigynous, imbri- 

 cate or contorted in bud. Stamens 8-10, rarely fewer, inserted with the 

 petals. Disk annular or elongated, or of inter-staminal glands. Ovary 

 free, 1-celled, or 3-5-celled at the base ; styles 2-5, free or connate, stig- 

 matose on the inner surface ; ovules 2 or more, funicles slender basal 

 often connate, amphitropal, micropyle inferior or transverse. Fruit cap- 

 sular. Seeds many, small, albumen floury, rarely fleshy ; embryo cylindric, 

 usually curved or annular, radicle incumbent. — Distrib. Cosmopolitan, 

 but chiefly Arctic, Alpine European, and W. Asiatic ; genera 35, species 

 800. — Affinities with Illecebra'cew, Portula'cea?., and Chenopodia'cece. — 

 Properties unimportant. 



Tribe I. SILE NEi£. Stipides 0. Calyx 4-5-lobed or toothed. Disk 

 elongated, bearing the petals and stamens. Styles free. 



* Hilum on the face of the peltate seed. Embryo straight 1 . Dianthus. 



** Hilum lateral. Embryo annular. 



Styles 2. Capsule 4-valved 1*. Saponaria. 



Styles 3. Capsule 6- rarely 3-valved 2. Silene. 



Styles 4-5. 



Petals appendiculate 3. Lychnis. 



Petals exappendiculate 4. Githago. 



Tribe II. ALSI'NEJE. Sepals separate. Disk small. Styles free. 

 * Stipules 0. 



Capsule cylindric, 6-valved. Petals jagged. Styles 3 5. Holosteum. 



Capsule cylindric, 8-10-valved. Petals notched (rarely entire).6. Cerastium. 



Capsule globose, 6-10-valved ; styles 3-5. Petals 2-fid 7. Stellaria. 



Capsule 3- 4- 6- or 10-valved. Styles 3-4. Petals entire 8. Arenaria. 



Capsule 4-5-valved. Styles 4-5. Petals entire or 9. Sagina. 



** Stipules scarious. 



Styles and valves of capsule 5 10. Spergula. 



Styles and valves of capsule 3 11. Spergularia. 



Tribe III. POLYCAR'PEfl!. Stipules scarious. Sepals separate. Did: small. 

 Petals small. Stamens 5 or fewer. Styles connate at base. ..11*. Polycarpon. 



