5% SCIERANTHUS. [class x. order n. 



peviatith. — Name from o-^cX^ifo?, hard; and aySoj, ajlotver; from 

 the indurated nature of the floral coverings. 



1. S. an'nuus, Linn. (Fig. 675.) Annual Knawel, Segments of the 

 perianth acute, with a narrow membranous margin, as long as the tube, 

 erect when in fruit; stems much branched and spreading ; root annual. 



English Botany, t. 351. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 282. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 194.— Lindley, Synopsis, p. 218. 



Root slender, tapering, branched. Stems numerous, much branched 

 in a dichotomous manner, widely spreading on all sides, round, smooth, 

 or more frequently scattered over with soft pubescence. Leaves nume- 

 rous, linear, awl-shaped, keeled at the back, dilated into thin pale 

 membranous margins at the base, and ciliated with soft hairs, opposite, 

 slightly combined. Flowers numerous, sessile in the axis of the leaves, 

 solitary, or a number of them clustered together. Perianth single, 

 urn-shawed, paleish green, ten ribbed, with as many furrows between, 

 smooth, the limb of five oblong acute teeth, with a pale narrow mem- 

 branous margin, as long or longer than the tube, erect, or somewhat 

 spreading when in fruit. Corolla wanting. Stamens about ten, in- 

 serted into the mouth of the perianth, erect, often unequal, shorter than 

 the limb of the perianth. Filaments awl-shaped. Anthers small, 

 yellow, two celled, roundish. Sti/les two, spreading, siiiiple, as long as 

 the stamens, with a small obtuse stigma. Fruit a utricule, formed of a 

 pale thin membrane, and enveloped in the hardened tube of the 

 perianth, containing a round single seed. 



Habitat. — Corn fields ; frequent. 



Annual ; flowering in June and July. 



2. S. peren'nis, Linn. (Fig. 676.) Perennial Knawel. Segments of 

 the perianth obtuse, with a broad membranous margin, incurved when 

 in fruit ; stem branched and procumbent ; root perennial. 



English Botany, t. .352.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 283. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 194. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 218. 



Root woody, tapering, branched. Stems procumbent, branched and 

 spreading, from three to four inches long, round, smooth, glaucous, 

 sometimes hairy, mostly becoming of a purplish colour. Leaves nume- 

 rous, linear, awl-shaped, membranous and united at the base, smooth 

 or downy, ciliated on the margins at the base, of a pale glaucous hue. 

 Flowers axillary, solitary, or in crowded clusters of several together. 

 Perianth single, the limb in five roundish oblong concave segments, 

 about as long as the tube, with a broad pale thin shining membranous 

 border, closing over the mouth of the tube when in fruit. Stamens 

 with awl-shaped yi/amen<«, rather shorter than the limb of the perianth. 

 Anthers ovate, yellow, of two cells, some of them frequently abortive. 

 Sli/le two, longer than the stamens, with a simple obtuse stigma. Fruit 

 an utricle, with a pale thin membranous covering, containing a solitary 

 seed, and enveloped in the hardened tube of the perianth. 



