66 CAEYOPHYLLACE.E. [Sagiiia. 



roundish or triangulari-reniform, compressed on the sides and back, covered with 

 close longitudinal rows of eery prominent points. Embryo in the circumference 

 of the snow-white farinaceous albumen. 



Like many annuals, this plant is in some degree biennial, for though living but 

 one year, it approaches the true biennials by the growth of radical leaves in 

 autumn, and living through the winter which precedes its flowering, as remarked 

 by Dr. Darlington. 



Suborder II. Alsinem. 



Sepals distinct or nearly so. Petals and stamens inserted on an 

 hypogynous or perigynous ring. Capsule sessile, l-celled. 



V. Sagina,* Linn. Pearlwort. 



" Calyx of 4 leaves. Petals 4 (shorter than the calyx). Cap- 

 side l-celled, 4-valved." — Br. Fl. 4th ed. 



1. S. procumbens, Li. Procumbent Pearhvort. " Perennial usu- 

 ally glabrous, stems procumbent, leaves mucronate, sepals 4 or 

 rarely 5 much longer than the petals spreading in fruit, styles 

 reflexed during flowering." — 5r. Fl. p. 63. E. B. t. 880. Fl. 

 Dan. xii. t. 2103. 



In waste sandy or gravelly ground, dry pastures, on or under walls and between 

 the paving-stones in streets, courtyards, &c. ; very frequent. Fl. April — Septem- 

 ber. If. 



2. S. apetala, Ij. Annual Small-flowered Pearlwort. "Annual, 

 stems slightly hairy erect or ascending, leaves aristate fringed, 

 sepals 4 much longer than the petals very spreading in fruit 

 obtuse, or the two outer ones slightly mucronate." — Br. Fl. p. 62. 

 E. B. t. 880. Fl. Dan. xii. t. 2102. 



In dry corn-fields, on wall-tops and waste barren ground ; frequent. Fl. May, 

 June. Fr. June. 0. 



Capsules a little longer than the calyx, ovoid, bluntly quadrangular at top, very 

 obtuse, membranous, crowned with the styles. Seeds numerous, extremely minute, 

 grayish or purplish black, irregularly prismatic, i)yramidate-trigonate, the angles 

 and apex rounded ; covered with blunt or sometimes pointed warty prominences, 

 and elevated on erect funiculi. 



Well distinguished from iS. procumbens by its ascending, not procumbent stems, 

 paler colour, more slender habit, and by the much longer points to the leaves, 

 which are fringed with a few stiff' hairs towards the base. The flowers are smaller 

 than in the last, with narrower much less obtuse calyx-leaves, more broadly mem- 

 branous at their edges ; the styles too are shorter, less spreading and conspicuous. 

 The parts of fructification vary greatly ; in numerous specimens collected at Hyde 

 the sepals are ordinarily 4, but often 5, the stamens even in the former case 

 amount to 5, 6, or even more. The petals, which are very minute and spathulate 

 or rather strap-shaped, are sometimes existing, as often wholly or partially want- 

 ing. I have occasionally noticed the capsules to be 5-valved. 



* See Gibson on the British species and varieties of the genus Sagina, ' Phylo- 

 logist,' No. 9, April, 1842, p. 177. 



