78 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Section II.— OETHODON. Scringe, m I). C. 



Calyx with the sepals not acuminated. Petals obovatc, bifid ; or 

 oblong and more or less distinctly notched at the apex. Stamens 

 10, 8, 5, or 4. Styles 5 or 4. Cajisule generally exsertcd, and more 

 or less distinctly curved, opening at the apex by twice as many 

 erect teeth as there are styles. Generally pubescent or woolly 

 l)lants, with the inflorescence in dichotomous cymes. Petals some- 

 times very short or abortive. Leaves firm and rather thick. 



SPECIES II.— CERASTIUM TETRANDRUM. Cwrt. 

 Plate CCXVIII. 



C. atrovirens, Bab. Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. V. Caryoph. Tab. CCXXVIII. 



Fig. 49G9. (Exclude C. pumilum, Curtis.) 

 C. tetranclruin, Bah. ilan, Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 56. Ilooh. & Arn. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. 



p. 72. Koch, Syii. Fl. Germ, et Helv. ed. ii. p. 133. 

 C. pumilum, Gr. & Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. I. p. 209 (uou Curl.). Boreau, Fl. du Centre 



delaFr. ed. iiL Vol. II. p. 112. 

 Sagina cerastoides, Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 16G. 



Root annual. Stems difi'usely branched, ascending or decum- 

 bent. Stem-leaves oval or oblong-oval. First pair of bracts* as large 

 as the stem-leaves ; secondary bracts oval, shorter than the flow- 

 ering pedicels ; all entirely herbaceous. Sepals oblong-lanceolate, 

 acute, with membranous margins, the herbaceous part covered 

 with rather short gland-tipped hairs and a few simple articulated 

 ones. Petals about equal to the sepals, oblong, notched at the 

 apex, with several branched veins. Pruit-stalks longer than the 

 calyx, erect, very rarely recurved or reflexed at any stage of their 

 growth. Capsule about as long as the sepals, nearly straight, erect, 

 in a straight line with the pedicel. 



On sandy seashores, dry banks, walls, and rocks. Rather common 

 on the coast. Common in the North of Ireland and in Scotland, 

 extending to Orkney and Shetland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual. Summer. 



Plant dividing into numerous branches at the crown of the 

 root ; branches 3 to 12 inches long. Lowest leaves oblanceolate ; 

 stem-leaves variable in shape, but usually oval, acute ; the upper- 



* /. e., the pair of leaves from the axils of which the first lateral branches of the 

 dichotomous cyme arc given off. 



