H93 



ON THE GENUS ARENARIA Linn 



nv 

 Frédéric N. WILLIAMS. F. L. s. 



I. Limits and Scope of the Genus. 



In the writings of Dioscorides plants référante to the genus Arenaria 

 (or to Alsine) are mentioned on account of their médicinal properties as 

 being of use as exlernal remédies in the treatment of inflammation of the 

 eyes and of ear disease. Ilesays 1 , « Alsine refrigerandi facullalemobtinel. 

 Oculorum inflammationibus cum polenta illila convenit. Succus ejus au- 

 riuin doloribus instillalus prodest. In Universum eadem quœ ilelxine 

 polest ». In the early botanical works Of the pre-Linnean Patres Rei Her- 

 bariae', plants referable to the genus Arenaria are offen mentioned and 

 described. The species now known as Arenaria sb^pyllifolia is the tirst 

 that is described and tigured in the works of the older writers on Bolanj . 

 The earliest notice of this plant is by Leonhard Fuchs 2 , who describes 

 and figures il under the name of « Alsine minor », with two other 'gênera' 

 (i. e. species) of Alsine, as follows : — 



- AASINH grsece, Auricula mûris latine. Morsus gallium vulgo appel- 

 lalur. — Quàmvis Dioscorides et alii unam lanlmn Alsinen faciunt. nos 

 tarnen tria ejusdem gênera, licet plura adhuc invenianlur. damus. Primum 

 genus Alsinen majorem vocavimus, quod scilicet vera sit Alsine. et aliis 

 major, germanice 'llunerderm' noininatiir. Alterius generis planlam 

 Alsinen inediam appellavimus, germanice 'Hunerserb'. Hœcquoiad flores 

 attinet, qui caerulei sunt, a descriptione variai : ejusdem tarnen cum priore 



1 The Latin version of Joannes llaynbut, commonly called Cornarius < 1 ô« " '- 

 1558). 



2 De Historiâ Stirpiian Commentant, p. 20, t. 23 (Basel, 15-42). 



Bl T LL. HERB. BOISS., Ilnveilllirc 180'i. 'i - 



