DianthuS.] CAKYOPHYLLACEiE. 59 



Root tough, woody and tapering, emitting numerous round, straggling, much- 

 branclied, prostrate, procumbent or dependant stems, forming large tufts or 

 roundish patches, according to the situation ; the younger branches reddish and 

 a little hairy. Leaves in small, crowded, almost whovled fascicles on the main 

 stem and short lateral branches, much like those of some heath, dark glaucous 

 green, often bright red or yellow in part from age or decay, about i inch long, 

 bluntish, ovale, but from their strongly revolute or deflexed margins appearing as 

 if linear and semicylindrical ; fringed on their short, broad, sheathing bases with 

 a few stiff hairs. Flowers solitary and sessile, from the bosom of the lateral and 

 terminal leafy bundles, pale pinkish purple, rather small and inconspicuous. 

 Calyx tubular, somewhat fleshy, subcylindrical, with 5 prominent angles, and as 

 many deep, erect, acute segments. Petals obovate, a little crenate and wavy, with 

 long claws, at the foot of each of which is a lanceolate erect scale attached to the 

 claw for the greater part of its length. Stamens usually 6, sometimes more, 

 placed close under the germen, their filaments broad, flat, and dilated downwards ; 

 anthers yellow, 2-lobed, 2-celled. Germen conical, 3-lobed and 3-furrowed. Style 

 linear, 3-cornered ; stigmas 3, greenish, oblong, obtuse, spreading or recurved. 



Order XIII. CAEYOPHYLLACEiE, Juss. 



" Sepals 5 or 4, persistent, distinct or united. Petals as many, 

 rarely wanting. Stamens as many as or double the number of the 

 petals, inserted upon a fleshy elevated disk, supporting the ovary, 

 or a ring. Anthers opening longitudinally. Ovary 1. Styles 

 2 — 5. Capsule 1-celled (sometimes only so at the summit, and 

 2 — 5 celled below), 2 — 5 valved or opening at the summit with 

 teeth, placenta central and free in the 1-celled capsules, in the 

 rest axile. Seeds generally numerous. Embryo generally curved 

 round a mealy albumen. — Herbs, more or less tumid at the joints, 

 with opposite entire leaves, without stijndes {by ichich alone our 

 Suborder Alsinese differs from Paronychiacese)." — Br. Fl. 



Suborder I. Silene^. 



Sepals united into a monophyllous calyx. Petals and stamens 

 hypogynous, inserted on the summit of a more or less conspicuous 

 stalk to the ovary. 



1. DiANTHDS, Linn. Pink. 



" Calyx monophjdlous, tubular, 5-toothed, with about 4 imbri- 

 cated opposite scales or bracteoles at the base. Petals 5, clawed. 

 Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule cylindrical, 1-celled. Seeds pel- 

 tate."— jSr. Fl. 



" Sir, the year growing ancient, — 

 Not yet on summer's death, nor on the birth 

 Of trembling winter, — the fairest flowers o' the season 

 Are our carnations and streak'd gillyflowers." 



Winter's Tale. 



