CARYOPIIYLLACE.'E. 91 



any of the preceding species, and with a stronger mid-nerve. Plant 

 quite green, with tlie leaves somewhat fleshy, and bearing some 

 resemblance to those of Moutia fontana, rarely somewhat hairy ; the 

 upper part of the stem often clothed with very short hairs, slightly 

 viscid. Styles usually 3. (I have seen 5, and Smith mentions 

 having met with 4.) Capsule from one-fourth to one-half longer 

 than the calyx, with twice as many teeth as there are styles. 



Tliree-styled Alpine Chickweed. 



GENUS r/Z/.—S TELL ARIA. 



Sepals 5 (rarely 4), somewhat spreading. Petals 5 (rarely 4), 

 bipartite or deeply bifid, occasionally abortive. Stamens 10 (but 

 sometimes fewer), hypogynous or perigynous. Styles 3 (rarely 

 B, 4, or 2). Capsule generally about equal in length to the sepals, 

 ovoid, straight, 1-celled, opening at the apex by 6 equal valves 

 in the species with 3 styles, or by 5 bifid teeth in those which 

 have 5; valves separating half-way down or more, erect or recurved. 

 Seeds numerous, rough, globose-reniform, more or less compressed 

 laterally. 



Herbs, often diffusely branched, glabrous or slightly pubescent. 

 Leaves ovate, flaccid ; or narrowly lanceolate, or elliptical and 

 stifTer. Flowers white, arranged in dichotomous cymes, which 

 are commonly terminal and sometimes branched in a paniculate 

 manner ; or rarely sub-solitary. 



The name Stellaria is derived from the word slella, a star, in allusion to the 

 star-like arrangement of the petals. 



Sub-Genus I.— MALACHIUM. Fries. 



Styles 5. Capsule opening by 5 valves, each of which is bifid 

 at the apex. 



SPECIES I.— STELLARIA AQUATICA. Scop. 



Plate CCXXVII. 



Malachium aquaticum, Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. VI. Caryoph. Tab. CCXXXVII. 



Fig. 4967. 

 M. aquaticum, Fries, et Auct. Plur. 

 Stellaria pentagyna, Gaud. Fl. Helv. Vol. III. p. 179. 

 Cerastium aquaticum, Linn. Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 538. 

 Larbrsea aquatica, Ser. in D. C. Prod. Vol. I. p. 395 {non St. Hil.). 



Stem difi"usely branched, decumbent. Flowering stems branched 

 below the cyme. Leaves ovate, acute or acuminate; the lower 

 ones on footstalks shorter than the lamin£e, the middle and upper 



