rOLYPETALOUS EXOGENOUS PLANTS. 175 



SPERGULARIA, Pers. 



Sepals 5. Petals 5, oval, entire. Stamens 2-10. Styles 

 3-5. Caj^sule S-o-valved; the valves, when 5, alternate 

 with the sepals. A low maritime herb, with opposite fleshy 

 leaves and conspicnous scanous siipides. Flowers axillary, 

 solitary, rose-colored. 



S. RUBRA, Pers. /S/^???."? prostrate, much branched. Leaves 

 linear, longer than the joints. Seeds with or Avithont a 

 membranaceous margin. Sands or marshes. April-May. 



SPERGULA, L. Spurrey. 



Sepals 5. Petals 5, entire. Stamens 5 or 10. Styles 5. 

 Capsule 5-valved, the valves opposite the sepals. Embryo 

 forming a ring around the albumen. Leaves whorled. 

 Flowers cymose, white. 



S. ARVENSis, L. Stem erect; ?e«i'C5fleshy, narrow, lin- 

 ear, several in a whorl ; cymes loose, long-peduncled; fruit- 

 ing pedicels reflexed ; stamens 10, seeds rough. 



POLYCARPON. 



Sepals 5, carinate. Petals 5, emarginate, shorter than 

 the sepals. Stamens 3-5. Styles 3, very short. Capsule 

 3-valved. Low annuals, with whorled leaves, and minute 

 flowers in terminal cymes. 



MOLLUGO, L. 



Sepals 5, petals none. Stamens 5 and alternate with 

 the sepals, or 3 and alternate with the cells of the ovary. 

 Styles 3, short. Capsule 3-valved, 3-celled, many-seeded. 

 Prostrate diffusely-branched annuals. Leaves whorled. 

 Flowers white, on slender axillary peduncles. 



M. VERTiciLLATA, L. Smooth ; leaves spatulate-lanceo- 

 late, unequal, in whorls of 4-8; fruiting peduncles re- 

 flexed ; stamens 3. May- August. 



