Lepidium.] VI. CKUCIFER^E. 47 



sessile, but tapering at the base, and often entire. Pods about 1 line 

 long and broad, the valves scarcely keeled and not winged, the style 

 almost imperceptible. 



In waste places, especially near the sea, widely distributed over 

 central and southern Europe and temperate Asia, extending north- 

 wards to Sweden. In Britain indigenous on the coasts of England 

 from Wales to Norfolk, and near Cork in Ireland, introduced in other 

 localities. Fl. summer. 



5. L. ruderale, Linn. (fig. 107). Narrow-leaved 0. — A glabrous 

 annual, 6 inches to a foot high, with very much branched wiry stems. 

 The radical and lower leaves pinnatifid, with narrow lobes ; the upper 

 ones entire or nearly so, and linear. Flowers very minute, generally 

 without petals, and only 2 stamens. Pods small, nearly orbicular ; 

 the valves keeled or sometimes slightly winged at the top ; the style 

 minute. 



In dry gravelly soils, waste places, on rubbish and old walls, chiefly 

 near the sea, nearly all over Europe and northern Asia, except the 

 extreme north. In Britain along the coast of England, but scarcely 

 wild inland, or in Scotland. FL early summer, and often on till autumn. 



XXIII. SENEBIERA. SENEBIERA. 



Prostrate annuals, with pinnate leaves, and short racemes of small 

 white flowers opposite the leaves. Petals and stamens as in Lepidium. 

 Pod laterally compressed (at right angles to the narrow partition), 

 orbicular or broader than long, either indehiscent or separating into 

 two nuts, each with a single seed. Radicle incumbent, but the bend 

 is, as in Subularia, a little above the base of the cotyledons, not at their 

 junction with the radicle. 



A genus of very few species, but widely diffused over nearly the 

 whole range of the Order. 



Pods 2 lines broad, deeply wrinkled, sessile, or nearly so . 1. S. Coronopus. 



Pods 1 line broad, slightly wrinkled, on slender pedicels . . 2. S. didyma. 



1. S. Coronopus, Poir (fig. 108). Swine-cress, Wartcress. — A pale 

 green, glabrous or glaucous annual, the stems, when' first flowering, 

 forming a short, close tuft, afterwards spreading along the ground to 

 the length of 6 inches or more. Leaves once or twice pinnately 

 divided, the segments not numerous, linear, or wedge-shaped, entire 

 or toothed. Racemes at first forming close sessile heads, but, as the 

 fruit ripens, lengthening out to 1 or 2 inches. Pedicels seldom a line 

 long. Pod about 2 lines broad and not quite so long, scarcely notched 

 at the top, marked with deep wrinkles, which form a kind of crest 

 round the edge ; it usually remains entire when ripe. Coronopus 

 procumbens, Gilib. 



In cultivated and waste places, in central and southern Europe to 

 the Caucasus, extending into Sweden. Rather plentiful in southern 

 England, decreasing northwards, and local in Scotland and Ireland. 

 Fl. summer and autumn. 



2. S. didyma, Pers. (fig. 109). Lesser S. — Much like S. Coronopus 

 in habit and foliage, but generally more slender, often sprinkled with 

 a few hairs ; the leaves rather smaller and more divided ; the flowers 



