Localities. — On the- most barren sandy heaths ; rare. — Middlesex ; On gravel- 
walks near London: Hook. Brit. FI. — Norfolk; On Drayton, Cowston, and 
Mousehold Heaths : Sir. J. E. Smith. Yarmouth Denes, especially about the 
Whale’s Jaw Bones: Mr. Wioo. On Dersington Heath: Rev. R. Relhan. St. 
Faith’s Bogs ; the driest spots on S. Denes ; and on Lound Heath, not uncommon : 
N. B. G. A troublesome weed on the gravel-walks at Holkham : Sir. J. E. Smith. 
— Suffolk ; On Brendon Heath: Sir J. E. Smith. About Bungay, in various 
places : Mr. Woodward. West Stow, Icklingham, Cavenliam, and Nacton Heaths : 
Sir T. G. Cullum. Westleton, and Dunwich Heaths; gravel-walks at Mr. May- 
nard’s, of Hoxne, &c. : Mr. Davy. Belton, and Gorleston Heaths: Mr. Wioc. 
Haslewood Common; and frequent about Aldborough : Rev. G. Ciiabbe. Aldcby 
Common : Mr. F. Turned. 
Annual. — Flowers from May to October. 
Root small, fibrous. Stems numerous, at first nearly upright, 
but soon becoming procumbent, an inch or two in length, thread- 
shaped, round, smooth, jointed, leafy, generally red. Leaves (see 
fig. 1.) opposite, very succulent, reddish, smooth, oblong, blunt, 
combined at the base, sometimes as long, sometimes half as long as 
the intermediate space between one joint and another. Flowers 
generally solitary, axillary (see fig. 2.), often accompanied by a pair 
of smaller leaves. Calyx mostly in 3, egg-shaped, bristle-pointed 
segments. Corolla white, with a tinge of red, usually of 3, narrow, 
pointed petals, smaller than the calyx. Stamens and Pistils shorter 
than the corolla. Capsules 3, oblong, pointed. Seeds, 2 in each 
capsule. Whole plant smooth. 
The flowers in this species are almost always 3-cleft, and trian- 
drous ; but they are sometimes 4-cleft in strong plants ; and G.etner 
says 5-cleft. 
It is a native of Europe in many places, and was first determined 
in England by the Rev. Mr. Bryant, in 1766. 
The whole plant is so small and depressed, that it only becomes 
remarkable by the ample reddish patches which it forms over the 
most dreary sands, a proof that even these apparently barren places 
are not always unprofitable to the Botanist. “ Their loose and 
fluctuating surface being arrested for awhile, and destined to afford 
support to a tribe of plants, the constitution of which is fitted by 
the all-wise Creator to thrive best on the meagre nourishment they 
afford. Thus some of the vast African deserts are turned to account 
by means of Mesembryanthemums, Cotyledons, and other succulent 
vegetables. We have here a production nearly allied to the Coty- 
ledons, which flourishes on the driest sandy heaths, where few others 
would live, and at a season when Mosses and Lichens are dried 
up * thus verifying the following lines of the poet : 
“ There's not a heath, however rude. 
But hath some little flower, 
To brighten up its solitude. 
And scent the evening hour.” 
* See Mart. Mill. Gard.Dict., Sm Engl. FI., he. 
