54 
XII. C Alt YOPH YLL ACEiE 
4 or 5. Styles 4 or 5. Capsules opening to the base by 4 or 5 
valves. Seeds many. 
Simla, Theog, Narkunda, on gravel walks and roadsides ; May-September. — , 
Temperate Himalaya.— Most temperate regions (Britain, Pearlwort). > 
11. SPERGULA. From the Latin spar g ere, to scatter ; refer- 
ring to the numerous seeds produced. — Cosmopolitan in temperate 
regions ; most common on cultivated ground. 
Spergula arvensis, Linn. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 243. A pubescent, 
often viscid, annual herb. Stems tufted, slender, 6-18 in., erect or 
ascending. Leaves linear, J-2 in., in opposite clusters ; stipules 
scarious. Flowers small, white, in terminal, forked cymes, on 
long stalks reflexed after flowering. Sepals 5, free, green, obtuse. 
Petals 5, entire, obtuse, slightly longer than the sepals. Stamens 
10. Styles 5. Capsule longer than the calyx, opening by 5 valves. 
Seeds many. 
Simla, in cornfields. — N. India. — N. Hemisphere (Britain, Corn-Spurrey) ; 
widely colonised. 
12. POLYCARPiEA* From the Greek polus, many, and carpos, 
fruit, referring to the numerous capsules. — Most warm countries ; 
rare in America. 
Polycarpsea corymbosa, Lamk. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 245. A pubes- 
cent herb. Stems erect or ascending, 6-12 in., much branched. 
Leaves linear, J-l in., in opposite clusters ; stipules scarious. 
Flowers crowded in conspicuous, silvery cymes. Sepals 5, free, 
scarious, shining white, narrowly lanceolate, in., acute. Petals 
5, white, much shorter than the sepals, entire. Stamens 5. Style 
1, tip 3-toothed. Capsule much shorter than the calyx, opening 
by 3 valves. Seeds numerous, small. 
Giri valley, 4000 ft. ; July, August. — Throughout India, ascending to 7000 
ft. — Most tropical regions ; rare in America. 
XIII. HYPERICACEAE 
A small Order, widely spread in temperate and warm regions, but 
rare in the tropics ; represented in the N.W. Himalaya by the 
single genus Hypericum. 
HYPERICUM. From Hypericum, the classical name of some 
species of the genus. — Chiefly N. temperate regions. 
