DECANDRIA TR1GYNIA 275 



Sporgulastrum lanceolatum. Mx. Am. I. p. 275. DC. Prodr. I. p. 

 421. Also, Muhl I c. 



Micropctalon lanccolatum. Pevs. Syn. I. p. 609. Pureh, Am. I. p. 

 320. Also, Eat. Man. p. 225. 



Noktiieux Stella hi a. 



Whole plant smooth, pale green. /too* .perennial. Stem G to 10 or 12 inches 

 long, very slender and weak, branched, 4-angled, growing in diffuse bunches. 

 Leaves half an inch to an inch in length, and 1 fourth to 1 third of an inch wide, 

 nerveless, with branching or anastomosing deeper green veins, often slightly 

 ciliate at base. Peduncles axillary and terminal, slender, solitary, or often elong- 

 ated and paniculately branched, with subulate scarious bracts at the base of the 

 subdivisions, or pedicels. Sepals lanceolate, very acute, 3-nerved (nerveless, Bigel. 

 Torr.). Petals white, small, at first shorter than the calyx, finally about as long, 

 bifid, sometimes wanting. Styles mostly 3? (gcncrally4,ylw//N>rs). Capsule ovoid, 

 about as long as the calyx. Seeds compressed, cochleate-orbicular, with a short 

 oblique process at base, and a thickish narrow rough margin, reddish brown. 

 Hub. Swampy springs, in the Mica-slate range: frequent. Ft. May. Fr. July. 



Obs. This has been examined by Dr. Torrey, and pronounced to be his S. lanceo- 

 lata ; and it agrees well with the S. boreulis, Bigel. var. a. Hook, of which I have 

 received specimens from British America, through the kindness of Prof. Hooker. 

 At the same time I must confess, that the only difference, worth mentioning, which 

 J can discover between our plant and the European S. Alsine, Wtlld. (S. uliginosa, 

 Ait. S. aquatica, DC.) is in the leaves of the latter being more constantly and con- 

 spicuously ciliate at base. 



4. S. longifolia, Muhl. Stem erect, acutely 4-angled, slender, 

 smoothish ; leaves lance-linear, acute, sessile ; panicle terminal, diva- 

 ricate, bracteate ; petals about as long as the 3-nerved calyx. Beck 

 Bot.p.bl. ' 



5. graminea. Jfutt. Gen. 1. p. 289. Bart. Phil I. p. 213. Not* of 

 WUUU Pera. Ait. DC. &c. 



Spergulastrum gramineum. Mx. Am. 1. p. 276. Also, DC. Prodr 

 I. p. 422. 



Micropctalon gramineum. Pers. Syn. Up. 509. Pureh,Am. l.p. 320. 

 M. longifolium. Eat. Man. p. 225, 



LoNG-LEAVED StELLABIA. 



Plant yellowish green. Root perennial. Stem 12 to 18 inches hieh, slender and 

 weak, but mostly erect, prominently 4-angled, often minutely scabrous on tho 

 angles, branching dichotomously. Leaves 1 to 2 inches Ion-, and 1 to 2 lines wide, 

 nearly linear, smooth, with anastomosing veins, minutely scabrous on the margin.' 

 Flowers in a loose slender terminal or subterminal panicle, with the branches 

 elongated, spreading ; pedicels filiform, very unequal in length, bracteate at base. 

 Sepals lanceolate, acute, 3-nerved. Petal* while, spreading, deeply bifid, at first 

 shorter, finally rather longer than the calyx. Ovary ovoid, obtuse, narrowed at 

 base, striate ; styles mostly 3) (very often 4, Ton.). Capsule ovoid, shorter than 

 the calyx. Seeds minute, scabrous. 



Hab. Low swampy meadows, and thickets : frequent. Fl. May. JFV. June-July. 

 Obs: This, certainly, as Dr. Torrey remarks, is very nearly allied to the S. 

 graminea, of Europe. The leaves of our plant are generally longer and more 

 lincaiy-and tho panicle, and flowers, something smaller, than in my European 

 specimens ; but, further than that, I caji perceive no remarkable difference. It is 



