118 ENGLISH BOTANY, 



7 at Christchurch, Hants, and 'Wisbeach, Cambridgesliire. Var. S 

 on high mountains. " On the summit of Ben Kcvis" (G. Don). 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual. Summer and Autumn. 



Stems from 1 to 6 inches long, generally tinged with brownish 

 purple. Leaves at the base of the stem \ to -} inch long, the upper 

 ones shorter, narrower, and less flattened ; all ol)tuse, usually ter- 

 minated by a very short apiculus or point. Cymes rather few- 

 flowered. Elowers \ inch across. Sepals often tinged with purple, 

 indistinctly nerved, with narrow membranous margins, more or 

 less spreading when the fruit is ripe. The petals have been absent 

 in all the specimens which I have examined. The stamens are 

 said to be sometimes as many as 8. Styles reflexcd in flowering. 

 Capsule ovate-ovoid, erect in every stage of its growth. Seeds very 

 minute, yellowish brown, somewhat semicircular, with small very 

 indistinct irregular tubercles. Plant deep green, often tinged with 

 purple. Var. ji seems to be merely a more slender state. Var. y 

 Professor Babington thinks may be a distinct species, but I have 

 seen plants which I cannot consider distinct from S. maritima to 

 which Mons. Jordan's descriptions would apply. The only alpine 

 specimens I have seen are in the British Museum, and have some- 

 what the habit of S. nivalis (Fries), which, however, has the flowers 

 peutamerous, the petals conspicuous, the capsules much larger, and 

 the central stem reduced to a leafy rosette. 



Sea Pearlwort. 



French, Sagine Maritime. German, Meerstrands Sagi/ns, 



SPECIES II.— SAGINA APETALA. Lirvn. 

 Plate CCXLVI. 

 Beich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. VoL V. Caryoph. Tab. CC. Fig. 4958. 



Stems numerous, very slender, ascending or decumbent, the pri- 

 mary or central one bearing flowers as well as the lateral ones, which 

 are commonly decumbent (but not rooting) at the base. Lower 

 leaves crowded so as to appear like a rosette, soon withering ; stem 

 leaves distant ; all slightly fleshy, setaceous-subulate, flatfish 

 above, and slightly convex beneath, tapering at the apex into a short 

 awn or mucro. Cyme rather few-flowered, lax. Pedicels always erect 

 (or very slightly curved after flowering), long and slender, clothed 

 with gland-tipped hairs especially towards the apex. Sepals ovate, 

 concave, hooded, and obtuse at the apex, spreading when the cap- 

 sule is mature. Petals very minute, or very often absent. Capsule 

 erect, a little longer than the sepals. Seeds semicircular-obovate, 



