Malachimn.] caeyophyllace^. 71 



ish, flattened glands near but not close to the base of the germen, being in fact 

 above the latter and at the top of the conical enlargement of the calyx below the 

 sepals, hence truly perigynous, not hypogynous ; filaments white, tapering, not 

 winged or dilated ; anthers pale yellow, roundish. Styles 3 — 5 (very often 4), 

 white, glanduloso-pilose above, spreading and recurved ; germen ovato-globose, its 

 lower part embraced by the fleshy conical base of the calyx or summit of the 

 pedicel, but unconnected with the latter. Capsule pale yellowish brown, smooth 

 and shining, as long as or mostly rather longer than the calyx, oblong-ovoid, a little 

 attenuated at base where it is surrounded by the funnel-shaped part of the calyx, 

 6-angled above the middle, bursting by as many entire, pointed, finally recurved 

 valves for at least half its length. 



IX. Malachium, Fries. Mouse-ear Chickweed. 



" Sepals 5. Petals 5, deeply cloven. Stamens 10. Styles 5, 

 alternate with tlie sepals. Capsule opening with 5 valves oppo- 

 site to the sepals, each bifid at the apex, many-seeded." — Br. Fl. 



1. M. aquaticum, Fr. Water Chickweed. Br. Fl. p. 67. Ce- 

 rastium, L. : E. B. t. 538. 



0. Stem somewhat scandeut. Cerastium scandens, Zej. Fl. de Sp. pars i. p. 



In low marshy places, on dilch-banks, by river sides, in swampy thickets and 

 damp hedges, mostly in the centre of the island. Fl. July — October. If. 



E. Med. — In the wet grounds W. of Yaveiland farm. Common on the moors 

 close to Godshill, on the North side. Near Stickworth house. In many parts of 

 Sandown level, on the banks of the drains or ditches dividing the meadows, and 

 very abundant along the stream that intersects the level and empties itself into 

 Brading harbour, as above Alverston and between that and Horringford bridge, 

 above which it is again plentiful, also in wet thickets by the same stream oppo- 

 site Alverston and Hasely, &c. Little wood close to Deane farm, and at Whit- 

 well. Abundant along the mill-stream between Bridge and Bridge Court, near 

 Godshill. Moist ground at the foot of Furze Hill, near Wackland. Wet meadow 

 near Fullford. 



W.Med. — Marshy meadows along the Medina above Newport in various 

 places, also a little below Shide, sparingly. 



/3. In wet hedgerows betwixt Alverston and Horringford bridge, the weak erect 

 stems reclining against those of other plants rather than climbing. 



A succulent somewhat viscid plant, with the habit and appearance of Stellaria 

 media, and still more so of S. nemorum, for which it is sometimes mistaken. 

 Boot very slender, fibrous, creeping. Stems numerous, trailing or decumbent, 

 purplish, geniculate and rooting below at the joints, their bases becoming at length- 

 covered with earth and rhizomatons, erect or ascending at the extremities, and 

 rising to I or 2 feet or even more in height when supported by herbage or bushes, 

 subterete, faintly angular or ancipital, composed of an exterior, very brittle and 

 succulent parenchyma surrounding a tough, striated, tubular chord ; considerably 

 branched and dichotomously forked at top, glabrous below, clothed above with 

 soft, spreading, gland-tipped pubescence extending over the bracts, peduncles and 

 calyx. Leaves opposite, pale green, thin, flaccid and moist to the touch, very 

 speedily withering ; those of the flowering stems larger, quite sessile, of the bar- 

 ren shoots smaller and on stalks of various length ; all ovate, acuminate, very 

 acute, rounded or broadly cordate at base, wavy on their margins, paler and con- 

 spicuously veined beneath, the inferior leaves glabrous or nearly so, those near the 

 summit of the stem more or less pubescent on both sides and ciliated. Flowers 

 rather large and handsome, in a sort of dichotomous false panicle, if the uppermost 

 leaves be considered as bracts, produced in long succession, and quickly fading 

 when gathered. Peduncles single-flowered, lateral and terminal from the forks of 

 the stem at its upper part, terete, pubescent, finally spreading and deflexed in 



