CAETOPHTLLACE^. 129 



6. Glaucous Starvrort. Stellaria glauca, With. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 825.) 



Intermediate between the lesser and the great Stanvorts, having the 

 3-ribbed sepals and deeply cleft petals of the former, whilst the flowers are 

 nearly as large as in the latter. It differs also in some measure fi'om both, 

 in being generally of a more glaiicous colour, and the leaves are more regu- 

 larly linear, not so lanceolate nor so pointed. 



In marshy and wet places, generally diffused over temperate Europe and 

 Russian Asia, but not always well distinguished from the lesser C, of which 

 it may perhaps be a variety. Not very common in Britain, but recorded 

 from several parts of England, Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fl. summer. 



7. Gireat Starwort. Stellaria Holostea, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 511. Stitchwort.) 



A perennial, usually glabrous, with a creeping root stock, and nearly erect 

 though weak stems, 1 to 2 feet high, quadrangular, rather brittle, and some- 

 times slightly downy. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, tapering to a fine point, 

 often 2 inches long or more. Flowers large, in loose, termmal, forked 

 panicles, with leafy, green bracts. Sepals about 3 luies long, scarious at the 

 edge, scarcely ribbed. Petals near twice as long, rather broad, and cleft to 

 about the middle. 



In hedges, open woods, and bushy places, throughovit Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant in Britain. Fl. spring and 

 early summer. 



XII. SANSSPX7RRV. SPERGIJLAEIA. 



Low, generally prostrate herbs, with opposite, linear or subulate leaves, 

 with smaller ones often clustered in their axils, and scaly, scarious ,«tiptdes. 

 Sepals 5. Petals 5, undivided. Stamens 10 or occasionally fewer. Styles 3, 

 rarely 4 or 5. Capsule opening in as many entire valves. 



A genus of very few, chiefly Mediterranean species, differing from Sand- 

 woH only in the stipules, which give them a strong resemblance to the 

 Paronychia family. 



1. Common Sandspurry. Spergularia rubra, Pers. 

 {Arenaria,'Eng. Bot. t. 852, and A. marina, Eng. Bot. t. 958. Lepigonvm, 



Bab. Man.) 



An annual or biennial, glabrous or with a short viscid dovra in the 

 upper parts, with numerous stems branching fi'om the base, and forming 

 spreading or prostrate tufts, 3 or 4 inches, or, when very luxiu-iant, 6 inches 

 long. Leaves narrow-linear ; the scarious stipules at the base short, but 

 very conspicuous. Flowers very vai'iable in size, usually pink, or rarely 

 nearly white, on short pedicels, in forked cymes, usually leafy at the base. 

 Petals shorter, or rarely rather longer than the sepals. Seeds more or less 

 flattened, often surrounded by a narrow, scarious wing or border. 



In sandy or gravelly heaths and waste places, clueily in maritime coimtries, 

 widely spread over Europe, Russian Asia, and North America. Common 

 in Britain. Fl. all summer. There are two marked varieties, one chiefly 

 occurring inland, has slender leaves, small flowers (the sepals 1 to 2 lines 

 long), short capsules, and the seeds rarely bordered ; the other generally 



