64 CABYOPRYLLJEJS. [Saponabia. 



many, on slender basal f unicles, or with the f unicles united into a 

 column. Capsule membranous or crustaceous, rarely fleshy, open- 

 ing by valves equal in number or double that of the styles, rarely 

 indehiscent. Seeds few or many ; embryo more or less curved and 

 surrounding the mealy albumen. 



A large family containing over 800 species, inhabiting chiefly arctic 

 and temperate regions. The Indian species are mostly Himalayan. The 

 few kinds met with in the plains are usually in flower during the cold 

 season, and a certain number of these are evidently introduced weeds of 

 cultivation. Of ornamental plants belonging. to this family, the follow- 

 ing are commonly grown in the gardens of N. India : — Qhina pmfc(Dian- 

 thus chinensis). Carnation (D. Caryophyllus), Sweet William (D. bai- 

 batus) . 



Calyx gamosepalous, 5-toothed, petals clawed, 

 stamens inserted on a gynophore, styles free, 

 stipules 0. 



Styles 2 1. Saponabia. 



Styles 3 2. Silene. 



Sepals free, petals subsessile ; stamens inserted on 

 an annular disk, rarely perigynous. 



Styles free. 



Stipules 0, styles 3-4. 



Petals 2-fid 3. Stellaeia. 



Petals entire or lacerate . . .4. Aeenaria. 

 Stipules scarious, styles 3 or 5 . • .5. Speegula. 

 Styles _ connate, 3-fid or -toothed ; stipules 

 scarious. 

 Petals bifid . . . . . . .6. Detmaeia. 



Petals entire or nearly so. 



Sepals keeled on the back . . . 7. Poltcaepon. 

 Sepals scarious, not keeled • . .8. PoLTCAEP.ffi!A. 



1. SAPONARIA, Linn. ; Fl. Br. Ind. i. 217. 



Annual or perennial herbs. Flowers in dichotomous cymes. 

 Calyx cylindric in flower, 5-toothed. Petals 5, clawed ; limb entire 

 Or notched, with or without a basal scale. Stamens 10.^ Gynophore 

 short. Styles usually 2. Ovules many. Capsule ovoid or oblong, 

 4-toothed. Seeds reniform or subglobose. 



S. Vaccaria, Linn. 8p. PI. 409 ; Boyle III. 79 ; F. B. 1. i, 217 ; Watt 

 E. D. S perfoliata, Roxh. Fl. Ind. ii, 445. Gypsophila Vaccaria, Sibth, 

 4^ 8m.; W.SfA.Frod.42. 



