CLASS III. ORDER III. J MONTIA. 171 



thread-shaped, as long as the valves. Siiffmas protruding, short, fea- 

 thery. 



Habitat. — " On loose sand at Weyhridge, Sussex — 3Ir. Borrer ; 

 who says that the Ipswich D. sanguinalis is this, and thinks that 

 the Norfolk and Suffolk stations, assigned to that plant in E. Flora, 

 probably belong to the present. Once found at Dalbeth, near Glasgow 

 — Mr. Hopkirk." Yarmouth — Mr. J. D. Hooker. 



Annual; flowering in July and August. 



ORDER III. 



TRIGYN'IA. 3 Pistils. 



GENUS LV. MON'TIA. Linn. Blinks. 



Nat. Ord. Portula'cejE. 



Gen. Char. Calyx inferior, of two ovate abrupt pieces, united at the 

 base. Corolla of five unequal petals, united at the base. Capsule 

 one-celled, with three valves and three seeds. — Named in honour 

 of Joseph de Monti, a Professor of Botany and Natural History 

 at Bologna. 



1. M.fonta'na, Linn. (Fig. 212.) Water Blinks, or Water Chickweed. 



English Botany, t. 1206.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 186.— Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 62. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 59. 



Root small, fibrous. Plant varying in height from one to four 

 inches, of a shining pale-green, often with a yellowish hue, quite 

 smooth and succulent. Stems much branched and spreading, often 

 putting out roots from the axils of the leaves. Leaves small, opposite, 

 spatulate, entire. Flowers small, white, arising from the base of the 

 leaves, or terminating the stems, at first drooping, and expanding 

 themselves only in the bright sunshine ; their footstalks simple, or 

 branched. Cahjx of two, sometimes three, permanent pieces. Corolla 

 of five petals, three smaller than the others, and having the stamens 

 inserted into them. Styles very short. Stiymas three, with spreading 

 branches. Capsule erect, roundish, one-celled, containing three black, 

 shining, dotted se«Z5; its three valves, after discharging the seeds, are 

 spreading, and have their margins rolled inwards. 



Habitat. — On the side of streams, springs, and in wet places, fre- 

 quent. 



Annual j flowering from May to July, 



