CARYOPHYLLACE^. 115 



described by Fenzl from specimens gathered by Mr. Hall, and by Dr. 

 Hooker from those gathered by Jameson. Our specimens accord with 

 the character given by the latter, except that they are all one- 

 flowered : but Fenzl, who referred his plant to Silene, describes it as 

 trigynous, and with the ovary three-celled, at least towards the base; 

 whereas ours has five styles, and the ovary is one-celled throughout. 

 The pod and seeds have not been previously described ; nor were the 

 hairy bases of the filaments and of the claws of the petals noticed. 

 A trace of this pubescence may be observed in M. Magellanicum (or at 

 least in Lychnis Chilensis, Gay, Fl. Chil., which appears to be no more 

 than a variety of that species) ; but it is wholly wanting in the Arctic 

 M. apetalum. 



Subord. II. ALSINE^E. 



5. ARENAKIA, Linn. (excl. sp.), Fenzl. 

 1. Arenaria diffusa, Ell. 



Arenaria diffusa, Ell. Sk. Bot. Car. & Georg. I, p. 519 (1821) j Gray, PI. Wright, 

 , 2, p. 18. 

 A. nemorosa, H. B. K. Nov. Gen. & Spec. 6, p. 35 (1822); DC. Prodr. 1, p. 408. 

 Spergulastrum lanuginosum, Michx. Fl. Bor.-Am. 1, 275; DC. Prodr. 1, p. 421. 

 Micropetalon lanuginosum, Pers. Ench. PI. 1, p. 509. 



Stellaria elongata, Nutt. Gen. PI. N. Amer. 1, p. 289; DC. Prodr. 1, p. 399. 

 S. lanuginosa, Torr. & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1, p. 187. 



Hab. Banos, Obrajillo, and Culnai ; Ancles of Peru. 



This plant, likewise gathered by Matthews in Peru, is common in 

 the Andes of Colombia, and extends to Jamaica, Mexico, and thence 

 into the Southern United States. For a critical comparison brings to 

 view no characters to distinguish the Peruvian and Quitensian plant 

 from the Arenaria diffusa of Elliott; which name I retain, being 

 older than that of Kunth, and more appropriate than that of Michaux, 

 under Spergulastrum. It is a true Arenaria, as the genus is limited 

 by Fenzl ; the petals, when present, being entire. In specimens from 



