244 XVIII. CARYOPHYLLE^. (Edgeworth & Hook, f.) [Spergula. 



In the same situations as S. wrvensis, and with the same distribution. 



I am unable to distinguish this in a dried state from the preceding. I find 3 styles, 

 very frequently, as described by Koxburgh, which does away with the difference be- 

 tween the genera Spergula and Spergulmia, to which latter the following species 

 belongs. 



** Leaves opposite. 



3. S. rubra, Linn. (Arenaria); suberect or prostrate, glandular-pubes- 

 cent, leaves simply opposite linear flat, stipules clef t, sepals lanceolate-obtuse, 

 petals pink or white, seeds wingless scabrid, margin somewhat thickened. 

 Spergularia tubra, St. Hil. ; Boiss. Fl. Orient, i. 732. 



Plains of the Panjab, Edgeworth, &c.— Disteib. N. and W. Asia, Europe, 



Boot fusiform, annual. Stems much branched from the base, 4-8 in. Leaves 4-1 in,, 

 flesliy; stipules broad, silyery. Fhwers J-^ in. diam., subglobose; pedicels divaricate 

 or deflexed. Sepals green, with membranous borders, obtuse. Petals obovate, obtuse ; 

 shorter than the sepals., (Stamens 5 or 10. Styles 3.^ (7opsu?e ovoid, longer than the 

 sepals. Seeds pale-brown, irregularly reniform or pyriforra. This is usually referred to 

 another genus Spergularia, Persoon {Lepigonvm; Fries), which differs from Spe.rgu.la 

 in having only 3 styles ; but the prevalence of 3 styles in the typical species of Sp&gula, 

 in India, renders this character valueless as a generic one. 



17. DRVBIARIA, Willd. 



Diffuse or suberect dichotomously branching herbs. " Leaves opposite, flat ; 

 stipules small, often fugacious. Flowers axillary or terminal, solitary or 

 cymose. (b'eJoaZs 5, herbaceous. i'etaZs 5, 2-6-fid. /Stomews 5, rarely .fewer, 

 slightly- perigynous. Ovary l-ceUed ; style 3-fid ; ovules few or numerous. 

 Capsvle 3-valved. Seeds globose, reniform or compressed, hUum lateral, - 

 embryo curved. — Disteib. Species 16, all Tropical American except the fol- 

 lowing and an Australian species. 



1 . D. cordata, WUld. ; glabrous, leaves ovate-cordate elliptic or orbi- 

 cular petioled, petals 2-lobed shorter than the sepals. Wight & Am. Prodr. 

 359. D. extensa. Wall. Cat. 647. Cerastium cordifolium, Roacb. Fl. Ind. 

 ii 458. 



Tropical and subtropical India and Ceylon, extending westwards to the Panjab and 

 ascending the Himalaya to 7000 ft. in Sikkim. — Disteib. Tropical Asia, Africa, and 

 America. 



A dift'iise glabrous shrub, branched from the base ; branches 1-3 ft., slender. Leaves 

 3-5-nerved from the base, mucronate; petioles variable; stipule of several bristles, 

 i'/owers J-J in. diam., in axillary and terminal cymes; pedicels slender; bracts wiih 

 membranous edges. Calyx obconic at the very base ; sepals ohlong, with 3 strong 

 nerves, and membranous margins. Petals 2-lobed to below the middle, lobes narrow not 

 exceeding the sepals. Stamens 3-5. Style short ; ovules B or more. Capsule ovoid, 

 3-gonous, shortly pedicelled, 3-valved to the base ; 1- oj-seeded. Seeds orbicular, com- 

 pressed, muricate. 



18. FOZ.irCAXlFOM', Linn. 



Diffuse or dichotomously branched, glabrous or pubescent herbs. 

 Leaves flat, opposite, appearing whorled from the presence of axillary 

 fascicles of leaves ; stipules scarious. Flowers small, in crowded many- 

 flowered cymes with scarious bracts. Sepals 5, keeled. Petals 6, small, 

 hyaline, entire or toothed. Stamens Z-b, Ot/ar^/ 1- celled ; style short, 3-fid ; 

 ovules numerous. Seeds ovoid, hilum subbasal ; embryo almost straight 

 or incurved, cotyledons incumbent or oblique. — Dist&ib. Species about 6, 

 natives of various tropical and warm climates. 



