CARYOPHYLLACE^: 107 



Alsine stricta Wahl. (Arenaria uliginosa Schleich.). 



Perennial tufts like those of A . verna, but the subulate leaves are 

 rather thicker, somewhat succulent, the stems longer, with few 

 distant pairs of leaves, the pedicels much longer, often an inch or 

 more, and always glabrous, and the sepals are broader. Petals 

 about equalling the calyx. Capsule 3-valved. 



Bogs on mountains ; rather rare. July, August. 



Distribution. Jura, not otherwise in Switzerland, Southern 

 Germany, Northern and Arctic Europe and Asia, Greenland. In 

 Britain only known on Widdybank Fell in Teesdale. In Norway it 

 reaches perpetual snow. 



ARENARIA L. 



Petals 4-5. Stamens 8-10. Styles usually 3. Capsule 6-lobed. 

 Seed without any appendage. Leaves usually roundish-ovate. 



About as large a genus as Alsine and, like it, spread over the 

 greater part of the globe. 



Arenaria grandiflora L. 



Stem 3-6 inches high, ascending, branched, softly hairy above. 

 Leaves linear subulate, finely acuminate, thickened at the margin, 

 ciliated with bristles at the base, otherwise glabrous. Stem 1-3 

 flowered. Flowers half an inch wide, pure white. Petals twice as 

 long as calyx. 



Rocky places among debris of the calcareous Alps from 4000- 

 5500 feet ; local. June to August. 



Distribution. Moravia, Eastern Alps, some of the Western Alps, 

 Jura, Saleve, but not actually in Switzerland, Pyrenees, Central 

 and Southern Europe ; Algeria. 



Arenaria ciliata L. 



Stem prostrate, creeping, branches ascending, densely covered 

 with small, nearly round leaves, lower part of stem covered with 

 short hairs. Leaves obovate, shortly acuminate, nearly sessile, 

 glabrous, ciliated towards the base. Flowers terminal or in forks 

 of the branches, solitary, or in a 3-partite cyme, often axillary, 

 flower-stalks erect, filiform, with soft hairs in lower part. Sepals 

 lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved, with narrow membranous margin, 

 glabrous, slightly ciliated towards apex. Petals elliptical, longer 

 than calyx. Capsule nearly globular, longer than calyx, 6-lobed. 

 Seeds kidney-shaped, finely warty. 



Damp stony places in the Alpine limestone region up to 9000 feet ; 

 frequent. July, August. 



Distribution. Eastern, Central, and Western Afps ; Car- 

 pathians, Pyrenees. Central and Northern Europe as far as 

 Iceland and Spitzbergen. Very rare in the British Isles. 



