132 



THE PINK FAMILY. 



7. Great Starwort. Stellaria Holostea, Linn. (Fig. 167.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 511. Stitchwort.) 



A perennial, usually glabrous, with a 

 creeping rootstock, and nearly erect 

 though weak stems, 1 to 2 feet high, 

 quadrangular, rather brittle, and some- 

 times slightly downy. Leaves sessile, 

 lanceolate, tapering to a fine point, often 

 2 inches long or more, "^lowers large, 

 in loose, terminal, forked panicles, with 

 leafy, green bracts. Sepals about 3 lines 

 long, scarious at the edge, scarcely rib- 

 bed. Petals near twice as long, rather 

 broad, and cleft to about the middle. 



In hedges, open woods, and bushy 

 places, throughout Europe and Eussian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. Abun- 

 dant in Britain. Fl. spring and early 

 summer. 



Fig. 167. 



XII. SANDSFURRY. SPERaULAKIA. 



Low, generally prostrate herbs, with opposite, linear or subulate 

 leaves, with smaller ones often clustered in their axils, and scaly, 

 scarious stipules. Sepals 5. Petals 5, undivided. Stamens 10 or oc- 

 casionally fewer. Styles 3, rarely 4 or 5. Capsule opening in as many 

 entire valves. 



A genus of very few, chiefly Mediterranean species, differing from 

 Sandwort only in the stipules, which give them a strong resemblance to 

 the Paronychia family. 



1. Common Sandspurry. Spergularia rubra, Pers. (Fig. 168.) 



(Are?iaria, Eng. Bot. t. 852, and A. marina, Eng. Bot. t. 958. 

 Lepigonum, Bab. Man.) 



An annual or biennial, glabrous or with a short viscid down in the 

 upper parts, with numerous stems branching from the base, and form- 

 ing spreading or prostrate tufts, 3 or 4 inches, or, when very luxuriant, 

 6 inches long. Leaves narrow-linear ; the scarious stipules at the base 



