24 
5 A GINA 
British genera of Sagineae 
Genus 4. Sagina (see below). Sepals n. Petals n. Stamens n + n or n. Stigmas (and 
carpels) n. Capsule splitting by n valves. (tz = 5 or 4 -) 
Genus 5. Alsine (p. 32). Sepals n. Petals n. Stamens n + n or n. Stigmas fewer than n, 
usually 3. Capsule dehiscing by as many valves as there are stigmas. (n = 5 or 4.) 
Genus 4. Sagina 
Sagina L. [Gen. PI. 118 (1737)]; Sp. PI. 128 (1753) et Gen. PI. ed. 5, 62 (1754) partim, including 
Spergula (q.v.) partim; Presl Ft. Sic. 159 (1826); Pax in Engler und Prantl Pflanzenfam. iii, pt. 1 b, 81 (1889). 
Small or minute, perennial or annual herbs, often caespitose when perennial. Primary rosettes 
of leaves present and usually persistent. Leaves linear or subulate, subconnate at the base, entire 
or nearly so. Flowering branches arising from the axils of the rosette-leaves ; the axillary shoots 
or buds (in the perennial species) often propagating the plants. Inflorescence 1 — 2-flowered or 
solitary. Flowers stalked, protandrous, ^-merous [n = 4 or 5), inodorous, often homogamous. Petals 
present or not; if present, white, entire, conspicuous or minute. Stamens n + n or n. Stigmas n , 
antisepalous. Capsule with n carpels, carpels remaining entire after dehiscence, sepals erect or 
spreading in fruit. Ovules 00 in each ovary. (72 = 5 or 4.) 
The species of this genus are so very closely allied that it is impossible to subdivide the genus into distinct groups of 
any higher rank than series. No botanist now follows Linnaeus, Dumortier, and Reichenbach in placing the species in two 
genera; and we find it impossible to follow those who divide the genus into subgenera or even sections. We think too that 
the species of Sagina have been unduly multiplied by most modern botanists ; and we do not hesitate to reduce several 
of these so-called species to varieties, others to subvarieties and fortnae, and still others to mere synonyms. 
About 20 species ; in all extra-tropical regions (and on mountains in the tropics) except 
Australasia. 
British series of Sagina 
Series i. Nodosae (see below). Perennial. Inflorescence a 2-flowered or 1 -flowered terminal 
cyme. Flowers large (about 1 cm. in diameter), pentamerous. Petals about twice as long as the 
calyx. Capsules much longer than the calyx. 
Series ii. Subulatae (p. 25). Perennial. Inflorescence 1 -flowered, terminal or apparently 
lateral from the last node but one. Pedicels erect in flower, nodding after pollination, erect again 
in fruit. Flowers usually pentamerous, sometimes tetramerous, about 3 — 8 mm. in diameter. Petals 
about as long as the sepals. Capsules a little longer than or nearly twice as long as the calyx. 
Series iii. Procumbentes (p. 29). Perennial. Inflorescence 1 -flowered, terminal or apparently 
lateral from the last few nodes. Flowers minute (about 2^5 — 5'omm, in diameter), usually tetramerous, 
sometimes pentamerous. Petals absent or only about half as long as the sepals. Capsules about as 
long as the calyx. 
Series iv. Apetalae (p. 30). Annual. Barren shoots absent. Primary rosette usually fugaceous. 
Inflorescence 1 -flowered, terminal or apparently lateral from the last few nodes. Flowers minute 
(about 2 — 4 mm. in diameter). Petals absent or only about a third or a quarter as long as the 
sepals. Capsules about as long as the calyx. 
Series i. Nodosae 
Nodosae nobis. For characters, see above. Only British species : — S. nodosa. 
I. SAGINA NODOSA. Knotted Spurrey. Plate 22 
Alsine palustris foliis tenuissimus sive saxifraga palustris alsine folia Goodyer in Gerard’s Herball ed. 2, 568 
(1633); Alsine palustris foliis tenuissimus seu saxifraga palustris anglica Ray Syn. ed. 3, 350 (1724). 
Sagina nodosa Fenzl Vers. Verbr. Alsin. opp. p. 18 (1833); in Ledebour FI. Ross, i, 340 (1842); Syme 
Eng. Bot. ii, 125 (1864); Rouy et Foucaud Ft. France iii, 294 (1896); Spergula nodosa L. Sp. PI. 440 (1753)!; 
Smith FI. Brit. 503 (1800)!. 
leones: — Smith Eng. Bot. t. 694, as Spergula nodosa ; FI. Dan. t. 96, as Spergula nodosa ; Curtis FI. Lond. 
i, 90, as Spergula nodosa ; Reichenbach Icon, v, t. 203, fig. 4965, as Spergella nodosa. 
