42 FLORA OF TASMANIA. {CaryophyllecB . 
specimens of these plants from all parts of the globe, and have always felt inclined to regard them as representing 
two forms of one species : one of these, larger, more fleshy, and pubescent, which abounds on coasts, is the A. 
marina, Smith, the var. of Torrey and Gray, and the Tasmanian plant ; the other is a more slender, glabrous 
plant, with more erect branches, found in many countries distant from the sea ; it is a native of Australia, but has 
not been hitherto found in Tasmania. The character of the seeds being winged or not is, as Chamisso and 
Torrey and Gray remark, of no specific value, both forms occurring in one capsule. It is, as might be expected, 
a very variable plant. — Stems decumbent, 3-8 inches long, abundantly dichotomously branched, pubescent or 
glabrous. Leaves very variable in length, fleshy, |-1 inch long, linear, acute; stipules ovate, cleft, membranous. 
Sepals lanceolate, with a broad white margin. Petals red, as long as or shorter than the sepals. Seeds in Tas- 
manian specimens with a broad white membranous margin. 
Gen. II. SCLERANTHUS, L. 
Perianthium 4-5-fidum, coriaceum. Stamina 1-10, tubo perianthii inserta. Styli 2. Semina pauca. 
— Herbse dense ccespitoste. — Mniarum, Forst. 
A genus consisting of a few small, tufted, rigid, wiry herbs, natives of Europe, North Asia, Australia, and New 
Zealand. — Leaves opposite, connate at their bases, subulate, almost pungent. Mowers minute, sessile or peduncled, 
solitary or few together, sometimes on peduncles which elongate when fin \ I riaceous, inconspicuous, 
green, urceolate or tubular, 4-5 -fid, with erect lobes. Stamens one to three, inserted on the tube of the perianth. 
Ovary one-celled, with one to two ovules pendulous from erect funiculi. Utriculus membranous, one-seeded. (Name 
from a-KXrjpos, hard, and av6os, a flower.) 
1. Scleranthus biflorus (Hook. fil. El. N. Zeal. i. 74) ; dense csespitosus, floribus geminis quadri- 
fidis monandris pedunculo communi post anthesin elongato per paria sessilibus basi 2-bracteolatis, foliis 
integerrimis serrulatisve.— Mniarum biflorum, Forst. Gen. i.t.l-, Brown, Prodr. 412 ; DC. Prodr. iii. 378. 
M. pedunculatum, Lab. Nov. Holl. i. 8. t. 2. Ditoca muscosa, Banks in Gartner, Sem. ii. 196. t. 126. 
/. 1. {Gunn, 1115.) 
Hab. Common on dry, grassy pastures, on stones, etc.— (El. Oct. Dec.) (v. v.) 
Distrib. New Zealand and South-eastern Australia. 
A small, densely-tufted, rigid, moss-Kke herb, with rigid, subulate, pungent leaves, 2-5 lines long, more or 
less serrulate, especially towards the base.— Flowers generally two together, on short peduncles, which lengthen 
much after flowering. Stamen one. 
2. Scleranthus fasciculatus (Hook, fil.) ; caule procumbente fastigiato, foliis longitudinaliter den- 
ticulatis, pedunculis fructiferis brevissimis.— Mniarum fasciculatum, Br. Prodr. 412 j Hook. Ic. PL t. 283. 
{Gunn, 1116, 1114.) 
Hab. Frequent, especially in mountainous situations, as at Eormosa, Lake Echo, Arthur's Lakes, etc., 
Gunn.— (Fl. Jan.) (v. v.) 
I am far from being convinced that this will prove permanently distinct from S. biflorus ; its only character lies 
in the very short peduncles, especially of the fruit. The leaves of both vary in amount of serrature. 
3. Scleranthus diander (Br. Prodr. 412) ; dense fastigiatim ramosus, foliis subulatis marginibus 
carinaque kevibus serrulatisve, floribus 4-5-meris ad apices ramulorum fasciculatis, staminibus 2 filamentis 
interjectis. (6rw«», 97.) 
Hab. On dry banks, pastures, etc., Launceston, Gunn.— (FL Dec.) 
Distrib. New South Wales. 
A more robust species than either of the preceding, with leaves quite entire, or serrulate along both the margins 
and keel.— Flowers clustered at the tips of the branches, four- or five-ck-ft . Stamen* tu o, alternating with filaments. 
