Spergula Arvensis* Corn Spurrey, 



SPERGULA Linna'i Gen. PL Decandrta Pentagynia. 



Rail Sytt. Gen. 24. Herbm Pentapetalje Vasculiferje. 

 SPERGULiA arvenjis foliis verticillatis, floribus decandris. Linn. Syfi. Vegetal : p. 363, Sp. PL p. 63Q» 



FJor. Suec. n. 419. 

 ALSINE Foliis verticillatis, feminibus rctundis. H'Al/en hiji: n~. 8jr 3: 

 ALSINE fpergula dicta major. Bauhin.Pin. 251. 

 SAGINA Spergula; Ger.emac. 11 25. 

 SAGINA Spergula major. Parkin/. 562. 'Rati Syn. p. 351. Spiirrey. Hud/on. FL Angl. ed. 2. p. 203. 



hight/oot FL Scot. p. 243. 



RADIX annua, fibroFa. | ROOT annual and fibrous. 



CAULES plures, Fpithamaei, feu pedales, fuberedti, | STALKS numerous, about a {pan or a Foot in length,, 

 teretes, laeves, fupeme vifcofi, geniculis gib- I nearly upright* round, fmootfi, on the upper 



bofis. I part clammy* joints globular. 



STIPULiE ad genicula binac, breviffimae, apicibus in- % STIPULiE growing in pairs at the joints, very fhort^ 

 feriorum reflexis. | the tips of the lower ones reflexed. 



FOLIA verticillata, Fafciculos duos conltituentia, Foliolis % LEAVES growing in whirls, and Forming two bundles', 

 o'do circiter in quovis Fafciculo, interioribus | about eight in each bundle, the inner ones 



Fenfirh minoribus, linearia, teretia, apicibus | gradually Fmalleft, linear, round, tips yellow, 



fiavis, dorfo linea exarato, Fuperioribus vifcoFis. f with a deep furrow on the back, the upper 



I ones clammy. 



FLORES albi, pulchelli, paniculatij panicula dicho- f FLOWERS white, pretty, growing in a panicle, which 

 toma. I is dichotomous. 



£EDUNCULI viFeofi, peracta florefcentia pehduli. % PEDUNCLES clammy, hanging down when the flow- 



I ering is over. 



CALYX: Periant hium pentaphyllum, Foliolis ovatis, % CALYX: a Perianthtum oF five leaves, the leaves 

 obtufiuFculis, concavis, patentibus, perfiften- f ovate, bluntifh, concave, Fpreadiiig, perma- 



tibu's, marginibus albidis, fig. 1. f nent, the edges whitifh* fig. 1. 



COROLLA: Petala quinque, ovata, acutluFcula, | COROLLA : Five Petals, ovate, a little pointed, 

 concava, calyce longiora* ungue brevi affixa, | concave* longer thari the calyx, affixed by a 



j%i 2. I fhort claw, fig. 2. 



STAMINA: Filamenta decern, alba, Fubulata '; An- I STAMINA: ten Filaments, white, tapering; An- 

 thers Fubrotundae, flavae, fig. 3. % ther^e roundilh and yellow, fig. 3. 



PISTILLUM: Germen Fubrotundum; Styli qti in- | PISTILLUM : Germen roundifh ; Styles five, fhort, 

 que, breves, reflexi 5 Stigmata Fimplicia, ■% reflexed; Stigmata fimple, fig. 4. 



Jig. 4. I 



PERICARPIUM: Capsula ovata, teeta, uniloeularis, | SEED-VESSEL : an ovate Capsule covered, by the 

 quinquevalvis, fig. 5. f ' remaining calyx, oF oiie cavity and five valves, 



% fg' 5' 



SEMINA plurima, majuFcula, nigricantia, deprefTo- ? SEEDS numerous, rather large, blacking round, with 



globoFa, punctis rufis prominulis ad lentem | a Fmall degree oF flatiieFs, iF viewed with a 



exaFperata, annuld manifefte cinetaj fig. 6, 7; f magnifier beFet with Fmall, reddifh, promi- 



| nent points* and encircled with a manifefl 



? ring, Jig. 6, 7. 



The Spergula arvenjis is Feldom Found but iti a fandy Foil ; and as that kind oF Foil does not abound much in the 

 - neighbourhood oF London, Fo this Fpecies oF Spergula may be coiifidered as one oF our plantas rariores. On Fome 

 parts oF Hampftead-Heath, and in the neighbourhood oF the Spaniard, we have oFten noticed it, as well as in the 

 iand-pits at Charlton. In Fdme Faiidy fields near Carfhalton, in Surrey, we have Feen it Fo plentiful as to appear 

 like the intended crop. As no uFe is made oF it with us, it may be conlidered as one of the worft weeds to which 

 a Fandy Foil is Fubject. Abroad, however, it is an object of* cultivation. In Fome parts of Flanders, Germany, 

 and Norway, they Feed their cattle with the plant, and their poultry with its Feeds 5 but as Tares and Buck- wheat, 

 which are Far more productive, as well as nutritious* may be cultivated in a fimilar Foil, our Farmers do wifely in 

 rejecting it. 



It is Found in blofTom From July to September. 



We have ndt Found this plant unuFually Fubject to vary in the number of its ftamina ; nor have we obFerved it to 

 vary Fo much in any other reFpeft as to make Us FuFpect we had Feen the Spergida pevtandra of Linnzeu^, which Mr. 

 Hudson makes a variety oF the arvenjis, contrary to the opinion oF Fome oF the greaTeft authorities. IF. the 

 difference betwixt theFe two plants was to depend Folely on tile number of its ftamina, we fhould be extremely 

 ready to coniider them as the Fame ; but Ray, whoFe opinion muff be allowed to have great weight, defcribes the 

 peniandra as a Fpecies totally diftinci from the arvenfisi. He does not Found his Fpecific difference on the number of 

 its ftamina; but on characters, leFs Fubject to variation : the leaves at the joints, he obFefves, are Fewer and thicker, 

 the plant flowers early, and Foon goes off (neither of which takes place in the arvenjis') ; and adds, that Dr.- 

 Sherhard obFerved it in Fandy places in Ireland. 



To fhew that other Authors have likewiFe entertained an opinion oF its being a diftincl: Fpecies, we Fhall quote 

 their refpeetive Fynonyms. 



Spergula Foliis filiformibus verticillatis rar'u Feminibus nigris. Sauv. Mon/pi 167. 



Alfine Fpergulas Facie minima Feminibus emarginatis. Tourn. infi. 244. Fail/. Paris 8. 



Alfine Fpergulas Facie minima. Magn. Monjp. 14. 



Aren aria teretifolia vema, Flore albo, Femine limbo Foliaceo cincfo. Rupp. Jen. 10 1, 

 . Spergula annua, kmmz/oliaceo nigro circulo membranaceo albo cincto. Moris hiji. 2. p. 55 f. bl<?j> 28. Dill Gi/s 

 46. E. N. C. cent. 5 p. 275. /. 4. 



On theFe Feveral authorities we cannot but conclude, that there exiff s Fuch a plant as the Pentandra • nor can we 

 avoid expreffing a wifh, that Fome gentleman, whoFe refidence may afford him an opportunity of obferving its 

 biff ory, will favour us with a more complete account of it, 



