368 THE PLANTAIN FAMILY. 
from 14 to 3 inches long. Male peduncles radical, about an inch long, 
with a single or rarely 2 terminal flowers, and a small bract lower down. 
Sepals narrow. Corolla like that of a Plantago, but with small lobes. 
The stamens, which form the most conspicuous part of the plant, have 
slender filaments, full half an inch long, terminated by large, ovate 
anthers. Female flowers concealed amongst the leaves, consisting of a 
sessile calyx, split into 3 or 4 unequal sepals, enclosing a small ovary, 
with a long thread-like style. Fruit a small nut. 
In mud and wet sand, on the margins of pools, in northern Europe, 
extending far into the “Arctic regions, but chiefly confined to moun- 
tains in central and southern Europe. Appears to be widely distri- 
buted in Britain, though seldom observed, for it often remains under 
water without flowering, when its leaves become longer and grass-like, 
Fl, summer. 
eens 
LXI, ILLECEBRACEA. THE ILLECEBRUM FAMILY. 
Low herbs, either annual or with a perennial, sometimes 
woody stock, and annual flowering branches, usually spreading 
or decumbent; opposite or rarely alternate leaves; small 
scarious stipules (rarely deficient); and small, often granular 
flowers, in terminal or axillary cymes or bunches, rarely soli- 
tary. Calyx shortly or deeply divided into 5, rarely 4 or 3 
lobes or segments. Petals either as many, inserted at the base 
of the sepals, or represented by as many small filaments, or 
none. Stamens as many as the sepals, rarely fewer, inserted 
between the petals. Ovary and capsule I-celled. Styles or 
sessile stigmas 2 or 3. Seeds solitary, with a curved embyro, 
and mealy albumen. 
A small Order, widely diffused over the globe, intermediate between 
Caryophyllacee and Amarantacece, to which it appears on the whole the 
most nearly allied, for the petals, except in Corrigiola, are reduced to 
small filaments, which may be considered as imperfect stamens, or are 
altogether wanting as in Amarantacee, thus placing the family amongst 
Monochlamyde. 
Leaves alternate . i : : ; ; ; ; ; . 1. CORRIGIOLA. 
Leaves opposite. 
Calyx with a distinct ovoid or globular tube . ; ; . 4, SCLERANTHUS. 
Calyx divided almost to the base. 
Flowers green. Calyx without points . " ; : . 2. HERNIARIA. 
Flowers white. Calyx with 5 points. : : : . 9&8 ILLECEBRUM. 
ened 
I. CORRIGIOLA. STRAPWORT. 
Annuals, with alternate leaves, and small white flowers in terminal 
cymes. Calyx of 5 divisions. Petals 5, oblong or oval. Stamens 5, 
Stigmas 8, sessile. Seed solitary, in a small nut, enclosed in the calyx, 
