CAIlYOPHTLLACBiE. 125 



Plant growing in small dense tufts ; stems scarcely an inch 

 high, including the peduncles, which are shorter than in any 

 of the preceding species, not hcing more than twice or thrice 

 the length of the calyx. The leaA^es have an extremely indistinct 

 mucro, in this differing both from S. saxatilis and S. subulata, from 

 which also its more compact manner of growth and peduncles not 

 reflexed after flowering form sufficient distinctions ; indeed, it has 

 much more the habit of S. maritima than of any other of the 

 British species of Sagina ; but, besides being a perennial and having 

 a barren central rosette, it has jientamerous flowers, the leaves 

 more tapering at tbe apex, the peduncles much shorter, the petals 

 very much larger, and the styles erect after flowering. 



lAndhlonis Pearlicort, 



SPECIES VIII.— S AGINA NODOSA. E. Meyer. 



Plate CCLI. 



Spergella nodosa, Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. VoL V. Caryoph. Tab. CCIII. Fig. 49G5. 

 Spergula nodosa, Linn, Sm. Eng. Bot. No. 694. 



Eootstock slightly branched. Stems rather few, the primary 

 or central one reduced to a barren tuft of leaves, never producing 

 any flowers, the lateral ones curved, ascending, not rooting at the 

 base. Lower leaves crowded, the upper ones more remote, gene- 

 rally producing fascicles of leaves in their axils; all somewhat 

 fleshy, subulate, abruptly pointed with an indistinct mucro. Cyme 

 few-flowered. Pedimcles rather short, erect, glabrous or with 

 gland-tipped pubescence. Sepals 5, oval, concave, very obtuse, 

 glabrous or with gland-tipped pubescence applied to the capsule 

 when mature. Petals much longer than the sepals, sometimes 

 nearly twice as long. Capsules a little longer than the sepals. 

 Seeds roundish-obovate, rugose, with distinct tubercles. Plant 

 glabrous or with the upper part of the stem, bases of the leaves, 

 and calices glandular-hairy. 



In damp sandy places. Not uncommon, and generally dis- 

 tributed. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer 

 and Autumn. 



Plant growing in small lax tufts, with the lateral stems spread- 

 ing in a circle, decumbent at the base, 3 to 8 inches long, having 

 a peculiar knotted appearance (from which the plant takes its 

 specific name) caused by the small bundles of leaves produced from 

 the axils of the upper stem-leaves. Flowers \ inch across, white, 

 very much larger than any of the other species of the genus. The 



