42 TETBANDRIATETRAGYNIA. 



Stems a foot long, slender, wavy, smooth, striated, compress- 

 ed on one side, more rounded on the other. Leaves alter- 

 nate or opposite, 1^ inch long, about 1-1 6th of an inch 

 broad, grass-like, pointed, often dilated at the base, with 

 slightly revolute margins. Each leaf has 3 ribs, the late- 

 ral half-way between the mid-rib and margin, distinct 

 and joining the mid-rib at some distance below the point, 

 and rarely opposite to one another. Stipulas long, mem- 

 branous, linear, pointed, many-nerved, beautifully cellu- 

 lar. Flower-stalks terminal and lateral, from between 

 2 broader and shorter stipulas, much longer than the loose 

 spike. Flowers brown, few. Seeds large, oblique, beaked. 



Influenced by the character of the stem (always evidently 

 compressed), I at first considered our plant the P. compres- 

 sum of SMITH ; but the specimens submitted to Mr 

 WINCH were referred by him to P. pusillum^ and in this 

 opinion I concur, after a re-examination of the subject. 

 There is indeed some discrepancy in our descriptions, 

 which I do not pretend to reconcile. The fig. of Petiver, 

 Hort. Brit. t. 5. f. 11, quoted by SMITH, is a good repre- 

 sentation of our species ; while fig. 10, usually considered 

 as representative of P. compressum, is not so, being much 

 too large. I have had no opportunity of consulting his 

 other references. It is singular that so common a plant 

 should not have occurred either to Dr GREVILLE (see 

 Fl. Edin.\ or^ HOOKER (Fl. Scot.) May it not be the P. 

 compression of the latter very eminent botanist ? 



7. P. pectinatum, leaves bristle-shaped, single -ribbed, parallel, 

 thickly set in two ranks, sheathing at the base; spikes interrupt, 

 ed. Fennel-leaved Pond-weed. 



Hob. Plentiful in the Tweed and Whiteadder. Holy 

 Island Loch. Coldingham Loch. July. If. 



54. SAGINA. 



1. S. procumbens, stems procumbent, smooth ; leaves minutely 

 pointed ; petals half as long as the calyx. Procumbent Pearl* 

 wort. 



Hob. Sandy and gravelly soils, and sides of shady walls, 

 very common. May-Aug. 7/ 



2. S. maritima, stems nearly upright, divaricated, smooth ; 

 leaves obtuse, without bristles ; petals none. Sea Pearl-wort. 



Hab. By the side of the canal below New- water Haugh. 

 On rocks in Holy Island, between the Heugh and the 

 Castle. June, July. Q 



