208 SUMMER FLOWERS. 



(52) Malachium. 



M. aquaticum : stems weak, often a foot or more in length ; 

 lower leaves small, cordate-ovate, acuminate, stalked, the 

 upper ones sessile or stem-clasping, 1-2 inches long ; flowers 

 white, in the forks of leafy cymes, the pedicels turned down 

 after flowering ; styles usually five ; petals narrow, deeply 

 cleft, about one-half longer than the calyx. Wet places, 

 along ditches and streams. Fl. June. 



(53) Spergula. SPURRY. 



S. arvensis : annual ; stems J-l foot high, slender, branch- 

 ing at the base, erect or ascending, glabrous or slightly 

 downy ; leaves almost subulate, 1-2 inches long, 6-8 together 

 in two opposite clusters, and spreading so as to appear 

 whorled ; flowers small, white, on long slender pedicels, turned 

 down after flowering, in terminal, forked cymes; stamens 

 frequently ten or five in different flowers of the same plant ; 

 seeds slightly flattened, with or without a narrow scarious 

 border. Cornfields. Fl. June to August. 



(54) Spergnlaria. SAND-SPURRY. 



S. rubra : annual or biennial ; stems numerous, branching 

 from the base, forming spreading or prostrate tufts, 3-4-6 

 inches long, glabrous ; leaves narrow-linear, the scarious 

 stipules at the base conspicuous ; flowers usually pink, rarely 

 nearly white, on short pedicels, in forked cymes, usually leafy 

 at the base ; petals shorter, or rarely rather longer than the 

 sepals; seeds more or less flattened, roughish, often sur- 

 rounded by a narrow, scarious wing or border. Sandy or 

 gravelly waste places, chiefly maritime. Fl. July, August. 



Var. marina: leaves thicker, somewhat fleshy; flowers 



