104 CARYOPHYLLACEiE. Molltjgo. 



1. MoLLUGO vERTiciLLATA, Linu. Carpet-weed. 



Stem depressed ; leaves spatulate, pseudo-verticillate ; pedicels one-flowered, forming a 

 sessile umbel ; seeds smooth. — Michx. Jl. 1. p. 77 ; Ptirsh, fl. l.p. 92 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 183 ; 

 Torr.Jl. l.p. 160 ; Bigel.fl. Bost. p. 48 ; Darlingt.fi. Cest. p. 96 ; Torr. <^ Gr.fl. N. Am. 

 1. p. 176. 



Stem much branched in a dichotomous manner, spreading flat upon the ground, and forming 

 a circular patch 6-18 inches in diameter. Leaves about 6 in a whorl; the upper ones 

 oblanceolate. Sepals oblong, obtuse, 3-nerved, white inside and on the margins. Stamens 

 mostly 3, sometimes 4. Capsule ovoid, somewhat triangular, roughened or torulose by the 

 prominence of the enclosed seeds. Seeds reniform, smooth and shining, striate on the back. 



Sandy fields, cultivated grounds, etc. June - September. 



This genus, although placed by most botanists in the tribe AlsinecE of Caryophyllace.1;, 

 differs in its want of petals and disk, and in its completely 3-celled capsule. Bartling refers 

 it to Paronychie^ (IllecebracetB), making it the type of his section Molluginea. Fenzl and 

 Endlicher place it among Poktulacace.*;, in the tribe Molluginea. 



Order XX. ILLECEBRACE^. R. Brown. The Knot-grass Tribe. 



Calyx of 5 persistent sepals, which are distinct or united at the base. Petals 5, 

 alternate with the sepals ; often minute and resembling sterile filaments, fre- 

 quently wanting. Stamens as many as the sepals and opposite them, or fewer, 

 rarely twice as many, inserted into the edge of a disk that lines the base of the 

 calyx. Ovary one-celled by the obliteration of the dissepiments, sometimes 

 imperfectly 2 - 5-celled : styles 2-5, sometimes more or less combined, 

 stigmatose along the inner surface. Fruit commonly a utricle, with a solitary 

 seed ; or a 2 - 5-valved, 1-celled, many-seeded capsule, with the placentae in 

 the axis. Seeds campulitropous. Embryo more or less curved around the 

 outside of mealy albumen. — Small herbaceous (rarely suffruticose) plants, 

 with opposite or fasciculate entire leaves and scarious stipules. Flowers often 

 minute, axillary or terminal, cymose or glomerate, or sometimes nearly solitary 

 in the axils of the leaves : bracts usually similar to the leaves. 



This order differs from Caryopiiyllace*, in which it is included by Fcnzl and Endlicher, chiefly in having scarious 

 stipules. 



