54 THALAMIFLOKJfi. 



IV. STELLARIA. Stitchwort. 



Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 5, deeply cloven. 

 Stamens 10, or by abortion 3-5-8. Styles 3. Cap- 

 sule 1 -celled, 6-valved at the apex, OD -seeded. 



Name, from STELLA a star ; because the petals are spread 

 out in a stellated manner. 



1. Stellaria media. Common Chickweed. 



Leaves ovate or in a few lanceolato-ovate and 

 attenuated at the base, stems procumbent with an 

 alternate line of hairs on one side, stamens 5-10, 

 capsules deeply 6-valved. , 



Engl. Bot. t. 537. Hooker, Fl. Scot. I. 135. 



HAB. Roadsides and Coffee-pieces in St Andrew's and 

 Port-Royal mountains. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



Branching near the root : branches procumbent, tetragonal, 

 with an alternate line of hairs on one of the sides. Leaves 

 mucronate at the apex, entire, ciliated especially near the base, 

 tender. Peduncles axillary or interpetiolary, solitary, 1 -flowered, 

 hairy, about an inch long. Sepals persistent, externally hairy. 

 Petals deciduous, shorter than the sepals. Stamens 5, shorter 

 than the petals, inserted on a small greenish glandule : anthers 

 purple. 



This plant is originally a native of Europe. It is said, never 

 to be found, except in rich friable soils in a state of culture. 

 It is a good pot-herb, and the seeds and flower-buds are, in 

 Europe, favourite food of finches and other small birds. 



V. AR EN ARIA. Sandwort. 



Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 5, entire. Stamens 10, 

 or fewer by abortion. Styles 3. Capsule 1 -celled, 

 6-3-valved at the apex, oo-seeded. De Cand. 



Name, from ARENA sand: the greater number of the species 

 growing in sandy situations. 



1 . Arenaria diffusa. Spreading Sandwort. 

 Stem elongated branched procumbent, leaves sub- 

 sessile broad-lanceolate acute puberulous, petals of 

 nearly the same length but broader than the sepals. 



NAB. Common in the St Andrew's, Port- Royal, and St 

 David's mountains. 



