ILLE'CEBRUM * *. 
Linnean Class and Order. Penta'ndria f, Monogy'nia. 
Natural Order. Illece'brea:^, Dr. R. Brown . — Lindl. Syn. 
p. 60 ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 164. — Paronychie.e, Rich, 
by Macgilliv. p. 508. — Loud. Ilort. Brit. p. 516. — Don’s Gen. Syst. 
of Gard. and Bot. v. viii. p. 84. — Hook. Brit. FI. (4th ed.) p. 407. 
— Amaranthi, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 87. — Sm.Gram. of Bot. p. 92. — 
Querneales; sect. Rumicinaj ; type, Scleranthaceas; Burn. 
Outl. of Bot. pp. 523, 587, & 594- — Holerace.e, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (see fig. 1, a. and fig. 2.) inferior, 5-angled, 
of 5 coloured, cartilaginous, hooded, permanent sepals, their back 
elongated into a horn-like process. Corolla none, or reduced to 
5 awl-shaped scales, which alternate with the sepals (see fig. 1,6). 
Filaments (see fig. 1 .) hair-like, from 2 to 5, opposite the sepals, 
and inserted into their base. Anthers simple, of 2 cells. Germen 
superior, egg-shaped, pointed. Style very short. Stigmas 2, ca- 
pitate. Capsule (fig. 3.) roundish, pointed at each end, included 
in the calyx, of 1 cell, with 5 valves, or separable along 5 streaks. 
Seed (fig. 4.) solitary,' egg-shaped, pointed at each end, inserted 
into one side of the capsule. Embryo nearly straight, placed on 
one side of the albumen, which is farinaceous. — Small herbs, with 
opposite leaves, furnished with scarious stipulas at their base (see 
fig. 5, a). Flowers (fig. 5, b.) axillary, or in cymes ; with scarious 
bracteas, smaller than the flowers. 
The calyx of 5 cartilaginous, hooded sepals, their back elongated 
into a horn-like process ; the corolla wanting, or reduced to 5 awl- 
shaped scales ; and the superior, 1-celled, 1-seeded capsule, co- 
vered by the calyx ; will distinguish this from other genera in the 
same class and order. 
One species British. 
ILLE'CEBRUM VERTICILLA'TUM. Whorled Knot-grass. 
Whorled Creeping Milkwort. 
Spec. Char. Stems procumbent, thread-shaped, smooth. Leaves 
broadly egg-shaped. Flowers crowded in the axils of the leave*, 
whorled. 
Engl. Bot. t. 895. — FI. Dan. t. 335. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 298. — Iluds. FI. Angl. 
(2nd ed ) p. 100. — Willd Sp. PI. v. i. pt. ii. p. 1205. — Sm.'Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 208. ; 
Engl. FI. v. i. p. 335. — With. (7th cd. ) v. ii. p. 339. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 546. 
— Lindl. Syn. p. 61. — Hook. Blit. FI. p. 109. — Maer. Man. Brit. Bot. p. 86.— De 
Cand. Prodr. v. iii. p. 370. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. iii. p. 88. — 
FI. Devon, pp. 43 & 170. — Irv. Lorid. FI. p.231. — Bah. Prim. FI. Sam. p. 40. — 
Ellecebrum, Linn. Ilort. Cliff, p. 492.. — Corriyiola, Ray’s Syn. p. 160. — Poly- 
gala repens, Johnson’s Gerarde, p 563. f. 1. — Park. Theatr. Bot. p. 1333. n. 4. — 
Paronychia verticillata, Lam. et De Cand. FI. Fr. v. iii. p. 403. — Paronychia 
serpyllifolia palustris, Vaill. Par. p. 157. t. 15. f. 7. 
Fig. 1. A Flower; a. sepals; b. petals, or scales. — Fig. 2. A separate Sepal. — 
Fig. 3. A Capsule. — Fig. 4. A Seed. — Fig. 5. A portion of the Stem, with a pair 
of leaves, accompanied with the Stipula:, a ; and a whorl of Flowers, b. 
* From fUcccbra of I'lisy, which is from illicio, to allure ; pretty enticing 
plants. Do.n. \ See l'ol. IS, note f . ; See fol. 155, a. 
