VERNAL SAND WORT. CORN SPURREY. 



7 



(five alternately inferior); anthers roundish. Pistil: germ 

 ovate ; styles from erect, reflex ; stigmas thickish. Pericarp : 

 capsule ovate, covered, one-celled, three or six valved. Seeds 

 very many, kidney-shaped. The number of stamens is not 

 constant. 



Essential generic character. — Calyx : five-leaved, expand- 

 ing ; petals five, entire. Capsule one-celled, many-seeded. 



The weedy species of the "Arenarise" in Britain, is the 

 " Arenaria verna,^' or " vernal sand wort." Leaves subulate, 

 rather obtuse ; stem panicled ; petals obovate, longer than 

 the calyx, three-nerved ; nerves, distant, equal. Root peren- 

 nial, long, much-branched. Stems numerous, five or six inches 

 high, round, somewhat pubescent and viscid, branched at the 

 base, and panicled above. Leaves erect, patent, subulate, 

 rather obtuse, three-nerved beneath ; and above, channelled, 

 connate, and spreading at the base; bracteas ovate, short, 

 three-nerved ; peduncles erect, pubescent ; leaflets of the 

 calyx acute, hairy, three-nerved ; margins membranous ; 

 petals longer than the calyx, obovate, obtuse ; anthers fleshy ; 

 capsule longer than the calyx, cylindrical, three-valved ; seeds 

 almost kidney-shaped, rough, compressed. It flowers from 

 May to August. 



This plant does not grow so abundantly or luxuriantly as 

 the " Stellaria media," and consequently it is less trouble- 

 some, and is much easier extirpated. It generally yields to 

 the repetitions of the scufl[ler and the hoe ; but when it is very 

 abundant, it may be gathered oW the land, as recommended 

 in the case of " chickweed." 



3. The " Corn spurrey," or Spergula arvensis," is a plant 

 of much notoriety, both as a weed, and in cultivation. The 

 plant belongs to the class and order ^'Decandria pentagynia" 

 of Linneus, and the natural order " Caryophyllese " of Jus-* 

 sieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx : perianth inferior, of five ovate, 

 obtuse, concave, spreading, permanent leaves* Corolla : 

 petals five, ovate, concave, spreading, undivided, larger than 

 the calyx. Stamina : filaments ten, rarely but five, awl-shaped, 

 shorter than the corolla ; anthers roundish. Pistil : germen 

 superior, ovate • styles five, somewhat reflexed, thread- 



