644 CLXXXIII. PAEONTCHIEie]. 



equator double the number of the sepals. Oyaky free, 1-celled. Fkuit dry, 1-seeded, 

 Albumen farinaceous, Embkto curved or peripheric. 



Herbaceous or suffruticose plants, very mucli branched, usually prostrate. 

 Leaves usually opposite, sometimes fascicled and in false wborls, sessile, small, 

 entire; stipules scarious, rarely obsolete {Scleranthus, Mndarum). Flowers small, 

 usually wbitisli or greenish, sessile or in axillary or terminal cymes often accom- 

 panied by arrested sometimes plumose branchlets ; bracts stipular. Caltx of 5-4 

 more or less coherent sepals, imbricate in aestivation. Petals small, squamiform, 

 resembling staminodes, imbricate in testivatioii, inserted on the calyx, alternate with 

 its lobes, and usually of the same number, rarely {Scleranthus, Pteranthus, &c.), or 

 transformed into supernumerary stamens. Stamens inserted on the calyx, opposite 

 to its lobes, and equal or rarely fewer in number {PoUichia, Mniarum), or twice as 

 many from the metamorphosis of the petals [Scleranthns) ; filaments distinct ; anthers 

 2-celled, introrse. Ovabt free, 1-celled ; style usually 2-partite or -fid ; ovule soli- 

 tary, rarely 2 {PoUichia), semi-anatropous, basilar, erect, or pendulous from a basal 

 funicle. Fruit dry, small, usually membranous, 1-seeded. Seed with farinaceous 

 albumen. Embbto cylindric, lateral, curved or annular; cotyledons small; radicle 

 turned towards the hilum. 



[The following grouping of Paronychiece is that prepared for the ' Genera 

 Plantarum ' : — 



Teibe I. Paeojstchib^. — Mowers axillary or oymose, usually 5 j homomorphous. Em- 

 bryo terete. — Leaves opposite, very rarely alternate ; stipules scarious. Paronychia, Anychia, 

 Oymnocarpus, Herniaria, Illeoehrum, PollicMa, Gorrigiola; &o. 



Teibe II. Pteeanthej:.- — Flowers ternate on the top of a peduncle, lateral imperfect, 

 surrounded by rigid simple or pinnatipartite bracts. — Leaves opposite ; stipules scarious or 0. 

 Pteranthus, Gametes (^Saltia), Dicheranthus. 



Teibe III. Scleeanthej!. — Flowers axillary, panicled, or 2-4 at the top of a peduncle. 

 — Leaves opposite, connate at the base, exstipulate. - Scleranthus, Mabrosia, Mniarum. — Ed.] 



Alliep Tribe. TELEPHIE^. 



Calyx, andrcecium, placentation, ovules and seeds as in Paronychiem. Style 

 3-partite, or stigmas 3, recurved. Fruit a 1-seeded indehiscent utricle, enveloped in 

 the calyx {Gorrigiola), or a many-seeded capsule with 3 valves {Telephium). Leaves 

 alternate, glaucous ; stipules scarious. Flowers in racemes or terminal, cymes. 



PEINQIPAL GENERA. 

 Corrigiola.' Telephium.* 



Furmiychieee are closely allied to Caryophyllets in aestivation, insertion, placentation, and albumen • 

 'they differ in habit, scale-like petals or 0, scarious stipules, &c. They are equally near Amarantace<s in 

 the 1-celled ovary, curved basilar ovule, and farinaceous albumen ; but AtnarantafiMe are more obviously 

 apetalous, and are hypogynous, exstipulate, &c. 



' Corrigiola should be retained in Faronychiecs proper, ^ Telephium is referable to Molluginem (pp. 261, 461) 



on account of its indehiscent fruit.— En. having obvious petals and dehiscent fruit. — Ed. 



