Perennial. — Flowers in July and August. 
Roots densely crowded, strong and somewhat woody. Stems 2 
or 3 inches high, very closely matted together, and forming large, 
green, mossy tufts, bearing a great resemblance to tufts of Poly- 
tricum, or some species of Bryum. Leaves opposite, somewhat 
awl-shaped, 3-sided, bluntish, rather fleshy, smooth on both sides, 
minutely fringed or toothed at the margin, connected at the base 
into a kind of sheath. When the leaves fall off, the sheath and 
the keel of the leaves remain attached to the stem. Stipulas none. 
Flowers yellowish-green, solitary, upright, stalked, terminating the 
short upright stems; each flower-stalk bearing a pair of small, 
blunt bracteas about the middle. Sepals egg-spear-shaped, blunt- 
isb, streaked with three lines on the back, membranous at the 
margin. Petals very minute, cloven, somewhat fleshy, much 
shorter than the sepals, and opposite to them. Linn/fus considered 
these as nectaries, and described the genus as having no corolla. 
Seguier, however, describes 5 undivided greenish petals, alternate 
with the sepals ; but these. Sir J. E. Smith observes, nobody else 
has seen. Five of the anthers are said to be sometimes imperfect. — 
Till lately this was the only known species of the genus, but Mr. 
Don, in his General System of Gardening and Botany, has de- 
scribed six, in two of which, viz. Cherleria grandi flora, and Ch. 
juniperina, both natives of Nipaul, the petals are much longer than 
the sepals. 
Cherleria scdo'ides is a pretty little tufted, alpine plant, an inha- 
bitant of the highest mountains of Dauphine, Switzerland, Savoy, 
the Valais, Austria, and Carniola, as well as of the Highlands of 
Scotland. 
For living specimens of this curious little plant, I am indebted 
to the kindness of the Rev. J. S. Henslow, M. A. F. L.S. &c. Pro- 
fessor of Botany at Cambridge ; W. Borrer, Esq. F. R. S. & c. of 
Henfield, Sussex; and Mr. W. Pamplin, jun. A. L.S. &c. of 
Lavender Hill, Wandsworth, Surrey. 
“ What lore with tranquil pleasure better fills 
The mind, fair Botany ! than thine ! 
Thy paths 
Retired, with thy own flowers are ever strewed, 
Thy own fresh garlands ever grace thy brow. 
Where’er thy votaries thou leadest, whether 
Along the silent vale, or verdant lane. 
By hedge-row sheltered, or o’er the lone heath, 
Whether to rushy pool, green-mantled, or 
Through the wild forest’s thick-entangled maze. 
Whether by softly murm’ring brook, that bright 
Reflects its gay-enamelled bank ; or Tong 
The rocky shore, dashed by the foaming waves 
Of Ocean wide ; or up the steep ascent 
Of rugged mountain, rising to the clouds ; 
Still pleasure, profit, health, thy steps attend.” 
. Time’s Telescope, 1825 . 
