20 
SPERGULARIA 
2. tSPERGULARIA CAMPESTRIS. Plate 17 
Spergularia campestris Willkomm et Lange Prodr. FI. Hisp. iii, 165 (1880) non Ascherson ; Lepigonum 
diandrum Kindberg Syn. Lepigon. 7 (1856) excl. syn. Gussone ; L. campestre Kindberg Monogr. Lepigon. 15 et 35, 
fig. 23 (1863); S. atheniensis [Ascherson ex Schweinfurth Beitr. FI. Aethiop. 267 et 305 (1867) nomen;] Haldcsy 
FI. Graec. i, 251 (1900); Druce in Bot. Exch. Club Brit. Rep. for ipo6, p. 197 (1907); in Journ. Bot. li, 137 (1913); 
S'. rubra subsp. atheniensis Burnat FI. Alpes-Marit. i, 271 (1892); Rouy et Foucaud FI. France iii, 310 (1896). 
leones : — Camb. Brit. FI. iii. Plate iy. (a) Flowering shoot, (b) Lamina (enlarged). (c) Stipules (two 
enlarged). ( d ) Sepals (enlarged). ( e ) Persistent calyx containing capsule (enlarged). (/) Seeds (enlarged). 
a—f= an erect form, (g) Flowering shoot. ( h ) Seeds (enlarged), g — h — a trailing form. Jersey (E. W. H.). 
Exsiccata : — de Heldreich (FI. Attica ), as S', rubra var. atheniensis ; (Herb. Graec. Norm.), 831, as S. campestris 
(ann. 1885); Todaro, 1246, as Lepigonum campestre. 
Closely allied to 5 . rubra, but a biennial or short-lived perennial plant. Shoot tufted, much 
branched, very floriferous, glandular, prostrate or ascending or erect. Stipules broadly triangular, 
short, connate below, often becoming split when old, dull brownish-white. Laminae linear, flat, 
slightly mucronate, longer than in 5 . rubra or S. salina. Inflorescence many-flowered, lateral 
branches rather long, bending over at maturity. Pedicel of the lower flowers about twice as 
long as the capsule. Flowers about 1 cm. in diameter, appearing a little later than in S. rubra, 
and earlier than in S. rupicola\ May and June. Sepals much narrower than the petals, scarious 
at the margin. Petals purplish-pink, concolorous, about as long as the sepals, a little larger than 
those of S. rubra. Capsule almost as long as or a little longer than the persistent calyx. Seeds 
somewhat pyriform, compressed, rimmed, minutely tuberculate, ultimately dark brown or black, 
scarcely distinguishable from those of 5 ". rubra. 
The plant varies somewhat in habit in its Jersey station. “ Where the plant finds slight shelter it grows upright 
rather like a Spergula , but where exposed it forms flat and almost circular pads of considerable size. On dry banks 
at some distance from the sea a hanging form is found” (E. W. H., in litt.). 
Mr Hunnybun informs us that this plant grew on the sea-front near the large hotel at St Helier, Jersey, until 
the station was destroyed by improvements. He further states that it still grows abundantly all over the quay at St 
Aubin harbour, Jersey, and that he found the plant on a bank about a mile (r6 km.) from St Aubin quite in 
the country. As Rouy and Foucaud (loc. cit.) do not admit the plant as a native of northern France, it is possible 
that it is not indigenous in Jersey. There are several derelict harbours in Jersey, said to have been partially built 
with stone brought from northern France; and it is possible that the plant was introduced into Jersey from northern France 
by this means. The plant has also been found at Par, in Cornwall, where many other aliens occur. We have not seen 
specimens from Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where it is also said to have been found. 
In the interstices of the granite pavement at the quay of St Aubin, Jersey, on a dry bank a little distance 
from the sea, and formerly on the sea-front at St Helier, Jersey, but perhaps not indigenous; Par, Cornwall, 
not indigenous. Recorded also for Aldeburgh, Suffolk. 
France (adventitious in the north, fide Rouy et Foucaud, loc. cit., indigenous in the south), southern Europe 
generally ; Egypt, Abyssinia, Cape Colony. 
3. SPERGULARIA RUBRA. Sand Spurrey. Plate 18 
Spergula fiore rubro Johnson Cant. 28 (1632); Spergula purpurea J. Bauhin Hist, iii, 722 (1651); Ray Syn. 
ed. 3, 351 (1724). 
Spergularia rubra J. s. et C. B. Presl FI. Cecilia 94 (1819); Syme Eng. Bot. ii, 129 (1864); Lebel in 
Mem. Soc. Sc. Cherbourg xiv, 36 (1868); Arenaria rubra var. campestris L. Sp. PI. 423 (1753); Ar. rubra Jacquin 
Enum. Stirp. 74 (1762); Withering Nat. Arr. Brit. PI. ed. 3, ii, 422 (1796); Smith FI. Brit. 479 (1800); Persoon 
Syn. 504 (1805); Alsine rubra Crantz Instit. ii, 407 (1766) excl. var. /3 ; Wahlenberg FI. Suec. i, 281 (1824) excl. 
var. media ; Reichenbach FI. Germ. Excurs. i, 566 (1832); Hiern in Journ. Bot. xxxvii, 318 (1899); Arenaria 
campestris Allioni FI. Pedem. ii, 114 (1785); Lepigonum rubrum Fries Mant. iii, 33 (1842); Kindberg Syn. Lepigon. 
5 (1856); Monogr. Lepigon. 15 et 40, fig. 29 (1863); Spergularia campestris Ascherson in Bot. Zeit. xvii, 292 
(1859) non Willkomm et Lange; S. rubra subsp. campestris Rouy et Foucaud FI. France iii, 309 (1896). 
leones : — Syme in Eng. Bot. ii, t. 254. 
Camb. Brit. FI. iii. Plate 18. (a) Flowering shoot, (b) Persistent calyx surrounding the ripening capsule 
(enlarged), (c) Seeds (enlarged). Isle of Wight (E. W. H.). 
Exsiccata: — Billot, 1840; Fries, viii, 36, as Lepigonum rubrum ; Herb. FI. Ingric. i, 124. 
Annual. Shoot glandular or not. Basal rosette of leaves present. Stipules narrowly triangular, 
eventually silvery. Laminae not succulent. Pedicels usually about as long as the calyx. Flowers 
o*6 — ro cm. in diameter; May to September. Sepals lanceolate. Petals pale lilac, concolorous, 
obovate, about as long as or a little shorter than the sepals. Stamens usually 10 or 5. Capsule 
about as long as the calyx or a little longer. Seeds (3 — 5 mm.), pyriform, punctate or smooth, rimmed. 
