( 439 .) 
SCLERA NTHUS* *. 
Linnean Class and Order. DECA'NDRlAf , Digy'nia. 
Natural Order. Scleranthea, Link. Enum. PI. p. 417. — 
Lindl. Syn. p. 217. ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 166. — Mack. 
FI. Hibern. p. 231. — Paronychiea: ; tribe, Scleranthea:, D. C. 
Prod. v. iii. pp. 365 & 377. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 508. — Loud. 
Hort. Brit. p. 516. — Hook. Brit. FI. (4th ed.) p.407. — Portijlace.e, 
Juss. Gen. PI. p. 312. — Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 164. — Querneales; 
sect. RuMiciNiE ; type, Scleranthacea: ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. 
pp.523, 587, & 594. — Veprecula, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (figs. 1 & 2.) inferior, of 1 sepal, tubular 
and ribbed at the base, contracted at the summit of the tube ; limb 
in 5 deep segments ; permanent and hardened after flowering. 
Corolla none. Filaments (see fig. 2.) from 5 to 10, awl-shaped, 
upright, often unequal, shorter than the segments of the calyx, and 
proceeding from the top of the tube. JInthers roundish, of 2 lobes. 
Germen (see figs. 1 & 3.) superior, roundish. Styles (see fig. 3.) 2, 
spreading, thread-shaped, the length of the stamens. Stigmas 
simple, downy. Capsule (see fig. 3.) egg-shaped, very thin, of 
1 cell, covered by the calyx. Seeds (see fig. 4.) 2, convex on one 
side, flat on the other ; embryo curved round the outside of the 
farinaceous albumen. 
The monosepalous, 5-cleft calyx ; and the 1-seeded capsule, 
covered by the hardened calyx ; will distinguish this from other 
genera, without a corolla, in the same class and order. 
Two species British. 
SCLERA'NTHUS A'NNUUS. Annual Knawel. Parsley Piert. 
German Knotgrass. Upright Knawel. 
Spec. Char. Stems spreading. Root annual. Calyx of the 
fruit with upright, somewhat spreading, pointed segments. 
Engl. Bot. t. 351. — FI. Dan. t. 504. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 580. — Huds. FI. Angl. 
(2nd ed.) p. 178. — Willd. Sp. PI. v. ii. pt. I. p. 660. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. ii. p. 458.; 
Engl. FI. v. ii. p. 282. — With. 5th ed. v. ii. p. 502. ; 7th ed. v. ii. p. 536. var. 1. — 
Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 545. — Lindl. Syn. p. 218. — Ilook. Brit. FI. p. 189. — Macr. 
Man. Brit. Bot. p. 87. — Light. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 225. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 138. — 
Abbot’s FI. Bedf. p. 94. — Thovnps. I’l. of Berw. p. 43. — Davies’ Welsh Bot. p. 41. 
— Purt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 209.— Relh. FI. Cant. (3rd ed.) p. 172.— Hook. FI. Scot, 
p. 133. — Grev. FI. Edin. p. 95. — FI. Devon, pp. 73 & 170. — Johnst. FI. of Berw. 
v. i. p. 95. — Winch’s FI. of Northumb. and Durh. p. 28. — Walker’s FI. of Oxf. p. 
120. — Bab. FI. Bath. Suppl. p. 78. ; Prim. FI. Saru. p. 40. — Dick. FI Abred. p. 37. — 
Irv. Loud. FI. p. 160. — Luxf. Reig. FI. p. 37 — Cow. FI. Guide, p. 47. — Baines’ FI. 
of Yorksh. p. 88. — Leight. FI. of Shropsh. p. 185. — Mack. Catal. of PI. of Irel. p. 
42. ; FI. Hibern. p. 231. — Polygonum selinoides, sive Knawel, Johns. Gerarde, 
p. 566. — Knawel, Ray’s Syn. p. 159. 
Localities. — In dry sandy fields, and on gravelly banks; frequent. 
Fig. 1. Back view of a Flower. — Fig. 2. Front view of ditto. — Fig. 3. Germen, 
covered by the tube of the Calyx. — Fig. 4. A Seed . — All magnified. 
* From skleros, Gr. hard ; and anthos, Gr. a flower ; from the indurated 
nature of the floral covering. t See folio 37, note +, 
