(2) F, N, WILLIAiMS. REVISION OF THE GENUS IIERMARIA. 557 



liis FI. of British India, under this genus says, — « I am quite unable to 

 discriminate between the species of Herniaria, or to refer thèse [Indian 

 spécimens of H. hirsuta] to any descriptions of Boissier. Tiie incana 

 form looks at first sight very distinct, but there appear to be many inter- 

 media tes. » Tins indefiniteness in the circumscription of species is one 

 of the grossest incentives to the manufacture of new species; and in a 

 genus like Herniaria, it would be unwise to indulge this whim on the 

 material afforded by herbarium spécimens. 1 hâve therefore as far as 

 possible endeavored to refer the spécimens examined to species already 

 known. This paper is intended as introductory to a monograph of the 

 genus. The hmits and scope of the genus are as defîned in Bentham and 

 Hooker's Genera Plantarum. The short descriptions are drawn up on 

 an uniform plan from the spécimens available. The synonymy (so much 

 of it as is necessary) is given under the head of each species ; but there 

 is no advantage in raking up ail the blunders in local floras, as they are 

 at the best of negative value. The iconography of the species is given at 

 the end of the paper. 



HERNIARIA 



Tourn. înstit. Herb. p. 507, t. 288 (1700); Linn. Gen. Plant, (éd. 1, 

 1737), p. 34, n. 93; Gen. Plant, (éd. 6, 1764), n. 308; Benth. et Hook. f. 

 Gen. Plant. III, p. 16 (1880). 



Flores hermaphroditi vel unisexuales, bracteis parvis vel minutis. 

 Calyx herbaceus, alte 4-5-fidus, tubo brevi turbinato ; segmenta œqualia 

 vel inœqualia, plano-concava, obtusa, mutica, in fructu conniventia. Sta- 

 mina ssepius 5 (interdum 2-4), perigyna, sequalia velinaequalia,filamentis 

 setaceis; antherse brèves: staminodia ssepius 5 (interdum 4-6), nectari- 

 fera, albida vel viridula, subulato-flliformia minuta vel nulla. Ovarium 

 ovoideum; Stigmata 2, aut subsessilia, aut in stylis brevibus hberis vel 

 imà basi connatis, aut in stylo uno bifido suffulta ; Ovulum solitarium, 

 basilare, erectum, funiculo brevi. Utriculus calyce inclusus, indehiscens, 

 ovoideus, membranaceus. Semen erectum, lenticulare, funiculo basilari, 

 testa crustaceà nitida, amphitropum ; embryo annularis, albumen farina- 

 ceum cingens, cotyledonibus linearibus, radiculà elongatà descendente. 



Herbae annuœ, vel basi perennante, vel perennes interdum basi suffru- 

 tescentes, Ccespitosse, humifusse, glabrse vel hirsutse. Gaules prostrati 

 ramosissimi. Folia opposita, alterna, vel fasciculata (ssepius inferioribus 



