636 ALSINE. [CLASS X. ORDEK III. 



Arenaria tenuifolia, Linn. — English Botany, t. 219. — English 

 Flora, vol. ii. p. 308. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 210.— Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 49. 



Hoot tapering, small, branched. Stem mostly much branched from 

 the base, spreading, slender, round, smooth, or sometimes hairy, from 

 four to six inches high, leafy. Leaves narrow, linear, awl-shaped, 

 three ribbed, in pairs, united at the base, spreading. Panicle forked, 

 repeatedly with a solitary flower in the axis of divarication. Floivers 

 mostly numerous, on long slender pedicles, erect. Calyx of five 

 narrow awl-shaped lanceolate three ribbed segments, with a pale mem- 

 branous margin. Petals white, ovate lanceolate, often not more than 

 half as long as the calyx. Stamens short, with red anthers, frequently 

 some of them abortive. Styles with spreading stigmas. Capsule 

 cylindrical, as long as the calyx, opening with three valves. 



Habitat. — Dry sandy fields, waste places, and old walls; not very 

 frequent. Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, &c. 

 Cramond Island, Frith of Forth, and near Pettycur Harbour, Scot- 

 land.— Mr. Yalden and Mr. G. Don. 



Annual ; flowering in June. 



7. A. fastigia'ta. (Fig. 724.) Level topped Alsine. Stem erect, 

 straight; leaves subulato-setaceous, erect ; flowers fasciculated; calyx 

 with lanceolate very acute pale two ribbed segments, as long as the 

 short pedicles; petals oblong, shorter than the calyx. 



A. rostrata, Koch. — Flora Germ, et Helv. — A. mucronata, Gouan, 

 (according to Hooker). — Arenaria fastigiata, Smith. — English Botany, 

 I. 1744. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 310. — Hooker, British Flora, vol, 

 i. p. 210. — A.fasciculata, Jacq. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 50. 



" Boot small, tapering, and zigzag. Stems either solitary or nu- 

 merous, four or five inches high, alternately branched, leafy, round, 

 nearly smooth, often purplish. Leaves very slender, smooth, erect, 

 permanent, dilated, combined, and three ribbed at the base. Flowers 

 in forked level topped crowded panicles. Calyx leaves all nearly 

 equal smooth, taper pointed, remarkable for the great breadth of their 

 ivory-like lateral ribs. Petals much shorter than the calyx, white, 

 obtuse. Stamens ten, rather longer than the petals. Capsule oblong, 

 of three valves. Seeds compressed, beautifully toothed like a wheel, 

 each on a long slender stalk." 



Habitat. — On the highland mountains of Scotland. On rocks on 

 the mountains of Angus-shire and Fifeshire. — Mr. G. Don. 



Annual ; flowering in June. 



Native specimens of this very rare plant we have not had the good 

 fortune to meet with. The above description is from Smith's English 

 Flora, which applies without any material difl'erence to the plants 

 found upon the Continent. 



