CARYOPHYLLE.E 



215 



Schweinfurthii agrees pretty closely with the latter, and 

 Saponaria calabrica merely differs in being somewhat more 

 elliptic. 



The fifth type is represented by Sagina procumbens (fig. 

 201), which has small, subulate, acute cotyledons, broadest at 

 the base, and connate there, forming a cup round the plu- 

 mule, 1-5-2 mm. long, and 1 mm. broad at the base. A sixth 

 very distinct type is met with in Spergula arvensis, the 

 cotyledons of which are linear, semiterete, acute, fleshy, 

 glabrous, green, without discernible venation, about 22-5 

 mm. long, and in all respects very similar to the primary 

 leaves. 



The Order Caryophyllese consists of 800 to 1200 species 

 according to different authors. They are chiefly confined to 

 the northern hemisphere, and are found in greatest numbers 

 in extratropical regions, extending into the arctic and alpine ; 

 they are rarer in the southern hemisphere and very rare in the 

 tropics, where they occur only on mountains. 



Dianthus plumarius, L. (fig. 196). 



Fruit an oblong-cylindrical capsule, one-celled, many-seeded, 

 dehiscing at the apex by four short valves or teeth. 



Seeds broadly oblong-orbicular, imbricated on a central column, 

 peltate, much compressed dorso-ventrally, slightly concave on the 



Fin. 196. Dianthus plumarius, x 15. 



ventral aspect, and raised on the dorsal into a convexity agreeing 

 in outline with the contained embryo, traversed throughout its 

 longest axis on the ventral aspect by a ridge ; testa black ; hilum 

 ventral a little above the middle of the seed, with a projection at 



