ALSINACEAE. 



Vol. II. 



fornia. Also in northern Asia. Summer. Consists of many races, 

 differing mainly in size of plant, size of flowers and pubescence. 



12. Alsine crassifolia Ehrh. Fleshy Stitchwort. 

 Fig. 1760. 



Stellaria crassifolia Ehrh. Hannov. Mag. 8: 116. 1784. 

 Alsine crassifolia Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 150. 1894. 



Diffuse or ascending, weak, slender, simple or branched, 

 glabrous, 2'-io' long. Leaves somewhat fleshy, oblong- 

 lanceolate to linear-oblong, acute or obtuse, narrowed at the 

 base, 3"-8" long, i"-2i" wide; cymes terminal, few-flowered, 

 or flowers axillary and solitary; bracts foliaceous, small; 

 peduncles slender, ascending; flowers 2"-3" broad; sepals 

 lanceolate-oblong, acute; petals longer than the calyx; capsule 

 ovoid, longer than the sepals; seeds rough. 



In springs and moist places, Labrador to Quebec, Illinois, Mani- 

 toba and in arctic America, south in the Rocky Mountains to 

 Colorado. Also in northern Europe and Asia. Summer. 



13. Alsine borealis (BigeL) Britton. Northern Stitchwort. Fig. 1761. 



Stellaria borealis Bigel. Fl. Bost. Ed. 2, 1S2. 1824. 

 Stellaria alpestris Fries, Mant. 3: 194. 1843. 

 S. borealis var, alpestris A, Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 93. 1867. 

 Alsine borealis Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5: 150. 1894. 

 Alsine borealis alpestris Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5 : 



150. 1894. 6b^. 



Erect or ascending, weak, much branched, gla- 

 brous, or pubescent above, 6'-i8' long. Leaves 

 membranous, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, ¥-i¥ 

 long, 2"-5" W'ide, acute, sessile, their margins ciliate 

 or naked; inflorescence a leafy terminal compound 

 cyme; pedicels slender, ascending or spreading; flow- 

 ers 2"-4" broad; sepals ovate-lanceolate, acute; 

 petals 2-5, shorter than the sepals, or none ; capsule 

 oblong, much exceeding the sepals ; seeds smooth or 

 obscurely roughened. 



In wet places, Newfoundland to Rhode Island, New 

 Jersey, Minnesota and Alaska, south in the Rocky Moun- 

 tains to Colorado. Also in northern Europe and Asia. 

 Ascends to 5000 ft. in New Hampshire. Summer. 



14. Alsine fontinalis (Short & Peter) Britton. Water Stitchwort. Fig. 1762. 



Sagina fontinalis Short & Peter, Transylv. Journ. Med. 



7 : 600. 1834. 

 Stellaria fontinalis Robinson, Proc. Am. Acad. 29 : 286. 



1894. 

 Alsine fontinalis Britton, Mem. Torr. Club 5 : 356. 1894. 



Annual, glabrous, stems weak, very slender, 

 branched, ascending or diflfuse, 4-12' long. Leaves 

 linear-spatulate, 4"-i2" long, about i" wide, the 

 upper sessile, acute or subacute at the apex, the 

 lower obtuse and narrowed into short petioles; pedi- 

 cels filiform, 3"-lS" long, erect or ascending, soli- 

 tary or 2-3 together in the forks of the- stem and 

 branches and axils; calyx oblong-campanulate, i" 

 long; sepals 4 or 5, oblong or linear, obtuse, about 

 equalling the ovoid-oblong obtuse capsule ; stamens 

 4-8; petals wanting; styles very short; seeds densely 

 tuberculate-roughened. 



In wet places, Kentucky and Tennessee. April-May. 



