CARYOPHYLLACEiE. 23 



Plate 106. 



LCEFLINGIA, L. 



Sepala sensim subulata, exteriora iitrinque unisetosa. Pe- 

 tala minima vel nulla. Stamina 3-5. Capsula unilocularis, 

 polysperma. Embryo rectiusciilus. — Folia subulata ; stipu- 

 lis adnatis in setas liberas demum productis. Flores sessiles. 



LffirLiNGiA, Linn, in Act. Holm. 1758. p. 15. t. 1. LceA. Iter. t. 1. f. 1. 

 Cav. Ic. 1. t. 94&148. DC. Prodr. 3. p. 380. Endl. Gen. 5210. 

 Hook. Ic. PI. t. 285. 



Calyx of five distinct and rigid herbaceous sepals, imbri- 

 cated in asstivation, narrowed above into long subulate tips, 

 the three exterior furnished usually on both sides about the 

 middle with a setiform lobe ; the two interior rather smaller 

 and entire, with more scarious margins. Petals 3 to 5, 

 minute, or wanting. Stamens as many as the sepals, and 

 opposite them, inserted on their very base : filaments short : 

 anthers didymous, two-celled, introrse, the cells opening 

 longitudinally. Ovary ovoid-trigonous, one-celled, with a 

 columnar basilar placenta: styles 3, short, more or less 

 united, or none. Ovules indefinite, amphitropous, ascending 

 on the free central placenta. 



Capsule conical, membranaceous, three-valved ; the valves 

 nearly opposite the three interior sepals. Seeds numerous, 

 lenticular, smooth, amphitropous. Embryo barely arcuate, 

 dorsal, applied to the outside of the farinaceous albumen: 

 COTYLEDONS rather short : radicle inferior. 



Herbs annual, depressed, of small size and insignificant 

 appearance, glandular-puberulent and viscid ; the short subu- 

 late or setaceous leaves commonly fascicled in the axils. 

 Stipules connate with the base of the leaf, their tips only 

 free in the form of a setaceous tooth on each side, like the 

 appendages of the outer sepals, which are of the same na- 



