CABTOPHTLLACE^. 121 



In mountain pastures, and stony places, in Arctic and northern Europe, 

 Asia, and America, and in most mountain districts of central and southern 

 Europe to the Caucasus, descending occasionally to the seacoast in western 

 Eui-ope, when it is very ditRcidt to distinguish it from the procumbent P. 

 In Britain, in the Scotch Highlands, in the west and south of England, and 

 in Ireland. Fl. summer. 



3. Knotted Pearl-wort. Sa^na nodosa, Eenzl. 



{Spergula, Eng. Bot. t. 69-1.) 



Like the last, this forms httle perennial tufts, but as it often flowers the 

 first year, it then appears annual. Stems numerous, decumbent, or nearly 

 erect, 2 to 3 or rarely 4 inches high, and not much branched. Lower 

 leaves hke those of the alpine P., or rather longer, but the stem-leaves are 

 much shorter, with httle clusters of minute ones in their axils. Flowers 

 few on each stem, on pedicels from 3 to 6 lines long, and more conspicuous 

 than in the other species, the white obovate petals beuig twice as long as the 

 calyx. Sepals obtuse, a line long, the parts of the flower usually in fives, 

 with 10 stamens. 



In wet, sandy places, marshes, and bogs, in northern and central Em'ope, 

 Kussian Asia, and uorthern America. Generally distributed over Britain. 

 Fl. summer. 



VI. CHERZ.ERIA. CHERLERIA. 



Densely tufted, moss-like perennials, with closely packed leaves. Sepals 5. 

 Petals none, or rarely linear and very minute. Stamens 10. Styles and 

 valves of the capsule 3. Flowers usually wholly or partially unisexual. 



A genus of one or perhaps two species, scarcely distinct from Sandwort. 



1. Mossy Cherleria. Cherleria sedoides, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1212. Cyphel.) 



Stock very densely matted, often several inches diameter, with long roots, 

 the very short branches completely covered with closely packed linear leaves, 

 rather stiff, and 2 or 3 hues long. Pedicels slender, from the summit of the 

 tufts, with a single erect flower. Sepals about a Une long, with 3 prominent 

 veins. Stamens shorter than the calyx. Capsule slightly protrudmg, open- 

 ing to the base in 3 valves, and containing but few seeds. 



An alpine plant, not uncommon at considerable elevations in the Pyrenees 

 and Alps of Europe, extending eastward to Greece and Transylvania, and 

 rcapxjearing in the Scotch Highlands, especially in the Breadalbane range, 

 although neither an Arctic nor a Scandinavian plant. Fl. summer. 



VII. SANDtVORT. AEENAEIA. 



Small, branched annuals, or tufted or prostrate perennials, glabrous, or 

 rarely shortly hairy, with white flowers. Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire. Sta- 

 mens 10 or rarely fewer. Styles 3, very rarely 4. Capsule openmg in as 

 many or twice as many valves. 



A very numerous genus in the northern hemisphere without the tropica, 

 with a few species also in the southern hemisphere ; distinguished from 

 Pearltmrt by the number of styles, from Cerast and Starwort by the entire 



M 



