334 ILLECEBRACEJU. [Corrigiola. 



in., narrowed into an obscure petiole ; stipules small. Flowers in crowded 

 terminal cymes. Petals as long as the sepals. — Distrib. From Denmark 

 southd. 



2. HERN I ARIA, L. RUPTURE-WORT. 



Annual or perennial prostrate herbs. Leaves opposite and alternate, 

 narrow. Floviers minute, green, crowded, axillary, 1-2-sexual. Sepals 

 4-5, connate at the base, obtuse, equal or unequal. Petals 4-5, setaceous, 

 minute or 0. Stamens 3-5, inserted on an annular disk. Style 2-fid or 

 -partite ; ovule erect. Utricle indehiscent. Seed subglobose or reniform, 

 testa crustaceous shining ; embryo annular. — Distrib. Europe, N. and 

 S. Africa, W. Asia ; species 8 or 10. — Etym. The classical name. 



1. H. gla'bra, L. ; leaves oblong glabrous or ciliate. 



Sandy soils, rare, Lincoln, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge ; Channel Islands; fl. 

 July-Aug. — Root woody, often perennial. Stems many, 4-6 in., tufted, 

 glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves £— J in. — Distrib. Europe, N. and 

 "W. Asia. — Probably a var. of H. hirsu'ta, L., a more southern plant. 



Var. H. cilia'ta, Bab. ; perennial, stouter, forming larger tufts, leaves broader, 

 stipules larger whiter. — Lizard Point ; Guernsey. — Syme remarks that this 

 keeps its green colour during the winter of Middlesex, which H. gla'bra 

 proper does not. 



2. H. hirsu'ta, L. ; leaves elliptic-oblong hirsute. 



Sandy soil, Christchurch, Hants ; fl. July-Aug.— Yery near H. gla'bra, but 

 hirsute all over. — Distrib. From Belgium southd., and eastd. to W. Asia. 



3. ILLECE'BRUM, L. 



A small diffuse glabrous annual herb. Leaves opposite. Flowers minute, 

 white, crowded in all the leaf-axils, 1-2-sexual. Sepals 5, white, corky, 

 compressed laterally, keeled, tips awned. Petals 5, setaceous, very minute. 

 Stamens 5, hypogynous. Style very short, stigmas 2 capitate ; ovule 

 erect. Utricle fissured at the base, included in the hardened calyx. Seed 

 oblong ; emb^o curved, lateral. — Distrib. W. Europe from Denmark 

 southd., N. Africa. — Etym. doubtful. 



I. verticilla'tum, Lj. ; leaves ovate-oblong or spathulate. 

 Moist sandy places, Devon, Cornwall ; Channel Islands ; fl. July-Aug. — 

 Branched from the root, very slender, prostrate ; branches 4-8 in., ascend- 

 ing, covered throughout with leaves and tufts of white flowers. Leaves \-\ 

 in. Flowers subsessile, shorter than the leaves. Sepals opaque. 



4. SCLERAN'THUS, L. KNAWEL. 



Low, tufted, annual or perennial herbs. Leaves opposite, connate, 

 subulate, pungent, often serrulate ; stipules 0. Flowers minute, green, in 

 axillary and terminal cymes or fascicles, honeyed. Calyx-tube funnel- 

 shaped or urceolate, hardening over the fruit ; lobes 4-5, short, erect. 

 Petals 0. Stamens 1, 2, 5, or 10, inserted on the calyx-mouth. Styles 



