Arenaria.] VI. CARYOPHYLLEAE. 59 



leaves. Peduncles axillary, 1-flowered, liii.-4in. long, slender, strict, with a 

 pair of bracts near the middle. Sepals linear-oblong, obtuse or acute, with 

 scarious margins. Petals 5, 2-partite. Stamens 5—10. Capsule linear-oblong, 

 one-third longer than the sepals, 6-valvecl nearly to the base. Seeds papil- 

 lose, brown. — Handbk. 34. 



SOUTH Island : mountains of Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago. Descends to sea-level at the 

 mouth of the Waitaki. Peine. Ascends to 4,500ft. 



The usual number of stamens is 5 ; if more than 5, one or more are abortive. In some cases 

 all the stamens are reduced to staminodia, with very short flat filaments. 



•ARENARIA, Linn. 

 Sepals 5. Petals 5, scarcely retuse, rarely 0. Stamens 10, rarely fewer, 

 inserted on the disk.. Styles 3, rarely 4 or 2. Ovary 1-ceIled. Capsule short, 

 splitting into as many valves as there are styles, or twice as many. Seeds many, 

 rarely few, smooth or tubercled, compresed. Embryo annular. Small tufted annual 

 or perennial herbs, with sessile leaves and white flowers. 



*A. serpyllifolia, L., Sp. PL 423. Annual; spreading or erect. Stems often 

 much branched, 2in.-6in. high. Leaves ovate, acuminate, sessile or subsessile, 

 small, stiff, ciliate. Cymes leafy, many -flowered. Petals shorter than the sepals. 



Var. spbaerocappa (sp.), Tenore. Much branched, diffuse. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 3-5- 

 nerved|. Fruiting pedicel erect or patent. Capsule exceeding the sepals, ovoid-oblong. 



Var. leptoclados (sp.), Gussone. Stems very slender, erect, sparingly branched. Leaves 

 more acute, smaller, 3-nerved. Fruiting pedicel curved at the top. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : abundantly naturalised. Var. leptoclados : extending for 

 miles in the Kaikoura district ; Canterbury and Otago. Nov. to Jan. Europe. 



• SAGINA, Linn. 



Sepals 4 or 5. Petals 4 or 5, entire, retuse, longer or shorter than sepals or 0. 

 Stamens as many or twice as many as the sepals, or fewer. Styles as many as the 

 sepals. Capsule 4- or 5-valVed to the base, the valves alternating with the sepals. 

 Tufted or matted herbs, with minute subulate leaves and small flowers on slender 

 peduncles. 

 AH the branches florif erous . . . . . . . . . . . . .. * S. apetala. 



Primary shoots and branches flowerless . . . . . . . . ..' S. procumbens. 



* S. apetala, L., Mant. ii. 559. A slender filiform wiry annual, erect or 

 spreading, all the branches flowering. Leaves connate, rosulate at the base, ciliate, 

 glandular, pubescent or glabrous, mucronate. Pedicels ascending. Sepals ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate. Petals minute or frequently 0. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : naturalised in dry situations. Oct. to Jan. Europe. 



* S. procumbens, L., Sp. PI. 128. A minute spreading perennial, with 

 matted stems and flowerless primary shoots. Branches fascicled and procum- 

 bent. Leaves glabrous or ciliate, subacute or obtuse. Peduncles capillary, ex- 

 ceeding the leaves. Sepals 4 rarely 5, reflexed in fruit. Petals minute. Capsule 

 exceeding the sepals. Fruiting peduncles usually hooked near the top. 



NORTH, SOUTH, and STEWART Islands: naturalised in damp places. Oct. to March. 

 Europe. 



3. COLOBANTHUS, Bartling. 



Sepals 4 or 5, usually cartilaginous, erect. Petals 0. Stamens 4 or 5, 

 alternating with the sepals^ perigynous. Styles as many as the sepals and oppo- 

 site them. Capsule ovoid or oblong, opening by as many valves as there are 



