222 XVIII. CARYOPHYLLE-E. (Edgeworth & Hook, f.) [CucuMus. 



1. C. bacciferus, Linn. ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, i. 657. 



Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir, alt. 5-8000 ft. to Sikkim, alt. 8-12,000 ft. 

 K.HASIA Mts., at the Boga Pani, alt. 5000 ft., H.f. S T.—Bisims. Westwards to South 

 Europe ; W. Siberia. 



A rambling herb, more or less pubescent with curly white hairs. Leaves 1-2 by 

 |-1 in., membranous, ciliate, narrowed into the petiole, upper sessile. Flowers drooping; 

 pedicel ^-4 in., tomentose. Calyx Jin., base rounded; teeth large, broad, subacute, 

 ciliolate ; nerves obscure, veins reticulate. Petals greenish-white, 2-lobed, Anthers 

 didymous. Fruit the size of a pea, black. 



8. Xi'S'CKNXS, Linn. 



Herbs, with the habit of Silene, but capsule 1-celled, and styles usually 5 

 (3-5). — DiSTEiB. Species about 30, natives of Arcticand Temperate northern 

 regions, and of the Andes of S. America. 



The following species of Lychnis are, with the exception of L. Ooronaria, extremely 

 difficult to limit, the characters of habit, nervation of the calyx, form and division of 

 the petals, and superficial markings of the seed, being all very variable. The division 

 into winged- and wingless seeded is far from good ; the contrast between the reniform 

 granulate, and the angled and winged seeds, is indeed strong, but analogy with other 

 genera would suggest, that some of the wingless species are but forms of winged ones. 

 We cannot follow Rohrbach and others in separating Melandryum from Lychnis proper; 

 the capsule dehiscing variously in the same species, and several true Melandry a haying 

 crested seeds. 



Sect. I. Fseudag'rostexnma. Petals with stiff 2-toothed scales at 

 the claw. Capsule 5-valved, valves quite entire. 



1. Xi. Coronaria, Lamk. ; uniformly softly tomentose with sUky white 

 wool. Boiss. Fl. Orient, i. 658. 



Kashmir Valley, abundant in groves and fields, Jacquemont, &c. — Distrib. W. Asia, 

 S. Europe. 



Stem 1-2 ft., sparingly branched. Leaves 3-5 in., spathulate- lanceolate, cauline 

 oblong. Flowers OTi long pedicels. Calyx }-l in., turbinate, 10-nerved; teeth con- 

 torted to the left. Petals 1 in. and upwards, broadly oboordate, red purple. Capsule 

 subseasile, included. Seeds biconvex, equally striate-tuberculate. 



Sect. H. lUelandryum. Petals with membranous scales. Capsule 

 4^5-valved, valves entire or 2-fid. 



* Stem scape-like, 1- rarely 2-3-flowered. Seeds compressed or angled, 

 winged, not granulate or tubercled ; wing thick or inflated. 



2. Ii. apetala, Linn. ; stem short glandular-pubescent 1-. rarely 2-3- 

 flowered, calyx inflated subglobose with broad purple-brown nerves, petals 

 with a- very short emarginate or bifid limb, carpophore very short or 0. 

 Melandryum apetalum, Bohrb. inLinncea, xxxvi. 217. M. Fa.lconeiL Eohrb. 

 l.c. 220. 



Alpine Himalaya and Tibet, alt. 12-17,000 ft. ; and to 18,000 ft. in Sikkim.— 

 DisTEiB. Arctic region*, mouniains of N. Europe, Asia, and America. 



Stems tufted, 2-6 in., often curved. Leaves radical linear-lanceolate or spathulate, 

 obtuse or acute ; cauline 1-2 pair. Flowers nodding. Calyx 4-§ in. long, mouth con- 

 tracted, more open in fruit, membranous, |.ale between the broad dai'k nerves; which are 

 variable in disposition, simple or sparingly branched, the secondary free or uniting with 

 the primary in the short broad calyx-teeth. Petals excessively variable in length and 

 breadth and in the subentire crenate or lobed scales, purplish. Capsule turgid j valves 



