Sect. I. Spergularia. Pers.
1. A. rubra; caulibus prostratis, foliis angusto-linearibus acutis subcarnosis, stipulis
övatis fissisj seminibus compressis margine membranaceo nulla—Linn. Sp. PL p. 606.
Engl. Bot. p. 852. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 401. Bigel. Fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 179. Torrey,
FL o f Un. St. v. 1. p . 456.—A. canadensis. Pet's.—Pursh, Fl. Am. v. L p . 219.
Hab. Canada. Mrs. Percival. Between Cumberland House and Bear Lake. Dr. Richardson. Newfoundland.
Dr. Morrison. Straits öS De Fuca and Observatory Inlet, on the North-West Coast. Dr.
Scouler.—This plant varies in the pubescence of its leaves, and in the presence or absence of the mucro.
Even in maritime specimens 1 do not find the seeds margined as in our A. marina. In all, the root is
Annual.—Schlechtendal and Chamisso mention it as an inhabitant of California, and, indeed, I have specimens
from almost every part of the world.
■Sect. II. ArenaRium. Ser. * Foliis gramineis,
2. A. nardifolia ; -caespitosa, foliis fasciculatis angustissimis lineari-setaceis glaberrimis
mitcronatisj caulibus erectis glabris 1—3-floris, petalis obovatis sepala ovata o'btusissima
5-nervia superantibus. (Tab. XX XII.)—Ledeb. FI. Alt. ined.—An “ A. lychnidea, ß.
fidbra, A. Laxmanni. ? Fisch, in litt.” De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 402.
Cattles ea-spitosi, inferne decumbentes, ramosi, valde foliosi, dein erecti, parce foliosi, nt et tota planta,
glaberrima. FoKa Opposita, inferiora et in ramis sterilibus fascicülata, omnia angustissime lineari-setacea,
nitida, rigida, imciam ad 3 uncias longa, recta vel subourvata, basi subdilatata atque connata, apice mucrone
curvato terminata. Rami fertiles vix spithanuei, apice 1-3-flori; pedicelli bracteati. Flores majusculi.
Galyeis sepala 5, ovata, obtusissima, margine diaphana, dorso inferne 5-nervia. Pet. obovata. Siam. 10.
Ggpsula late ovata, 3-valvis.
Hab. Shores of the Arctic Sea. Dr. Richardson.—This belongs to a natural little groupe of Aren-
arite, with very narrow and dong leaves growing in fascicles on the short barren stems; most of them are
inhabitants of Asia, (and not the more northern parts,) or the countries of Europe bordering upon it. My
specimens of the A. nardifolia of Ledebour, from Dr. Fischer and Mr. Prescott, gathered by the former of
these Naturalists, exactly correspond with those of Dr. Richardson from lat. 70° of North America: and
these again approach so near to the A. lychnidea of Bieberstein, from the Iberian Caucasus, that, except
in the pubescence df the latter, there is scarcely any difference.
Tab. XXXII. Fig. 1, Flower; fig. 2, Sepal; fig. 3, Capsule; fig. 4, Leaves:—all more or less magnified.
* * Foliis subulatis linearibusve.
3. A. larictfolia; foliis subulatis denticulato-ciliatis, caulibus adscendentrbus 3-6-floris
subscabris, calycibus cylindricis, sepalis oblongis obtusiusculis-triplinerviis hirtis corolla
duplo brevioribus, capsulis trivalvibus calycem superantibus. DC.—Linn. Sp. P L p . 607.
Jacq. Austr. v. S. p. 272. De -Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 404. Pursh, Fl. Am. v. 1. p. 219. Cham,
et Schlecht, in Linncea, v. 1. p. 54.
Hab. North-West coast of America. Menzies. (Pursh.') Bay of Eschscholtz and Island of St. Lawrence.
Chamisso.—This is quite unknown to me as an American plant.
4. A. juniperina ; foliis subulatis rigidis spinosis, inferioribus subfasciculatis, superiori-
bus distantibus, caulibus erectis firmis, sepalis öVätls subuninerviis, petalis obovatis calyce
subduplo longioribus, capsulis ovato-'rotundis ’trivalvibus calycem -vix superantibus. DC.
—iSm. Ic. ined. p . 35. t. 35. Pursh, Fl. Am. v. 1. p. 319. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 403.
Hab. Labrador and Newfoundland. (Herb. Banks. PurshJ) Between Lake St. Clair and Lake Huron,
rare; D. Douglas.—I have myself received nothing like this plant of Smith’s from the above-named countries.
5. A. stricta; erecta, glabra, multicaulis, foliis lineari-setaceis uninerviis rigidis paten-
tibus in axillis proliferis et quasi verticillatis, panicula dichotoma patente, petalis obovatis
sepala ovata acutissima 3-nervia superantibus.—*. foliis magis erectis, fasciculis axillari-
bus paucioribus, panicula erectiore.—A. stricta. Mich. Am. v. I. p . 274.? De Cand. Prodr.
v. 1. p, 403. Pursh, FI. Am. v. 1. p. 319. Elliott, Carol, v. 1. p . 521.-—/&. foliis recurvis,
fasciculis axillaribus numerosis, panicula patentissima. (Tar. XX XIII.)—A. strict^.
Bigel. FL Bost. ed. 2. p . 180. Torrey, Fl. o f Un. St. p. 1. p. 45.5.
Hab. /3. From the United States to the shores of the Arctic Sea, north of the Rocky Mountains. On
the Columbia ? Dr. Scouler.—In characterizing many of the species of this division of Arenaria, we need the
indulgence of those who study the same plants after us, for none are attended with more difficulty, even
when, as in our case, we have numerous specimens from various latitudes, soils, situations, and elevations
above the level of the sea: for it -then becomes almost impossible to say what differences may be caused by local
circumstances, and what may he permanent characters. To the species before us, these remarks are peculiarly
applicable. What I have here called var. (t. is what most of the American Botanists take for the true stricta
of Michaux; and it is named as such in the Herbarium of Dr. Boott, which was compared with that of
Michaux: yet the very appellation of “ stricta? and the words “ foliis erectis” of its original describer, are
quite at variance with the plant. Mr. Drummond’s, however, and Dr. Richardson’s specimens tend to
prove that my «. and 0. may pass into each other. It is among the tallest of this groupe, often nearly a
foot high; the capsules are rather longer than the calyx. Dr. Scouler’s plant from the Columbia has the
peduncles and calyces glandular. The var.- /3. is what I have figured at
Tab. XXXill. Fig. 1 , Flower; fig, 2, Fruit; fig. 3, Seed:—magnified,
6. A. vema; erecta, caespitosa, multicaulis, foliis lineari-subulatis nervosis erectis,
panicula erecta pauci-multiflora, calycibus ovatis .acutis trinervijs corolla plerumque longioribus.—
Linn. Mant.p. 72. Engl. Bot.p. 512.
Hab. Between Norway House and Cumberland House. Dr. Richardson. Drummond. Columbia.
Menzies. D. Douglas.—This quite agrees with our British specimens of A. vema; the petals are sometimes
longer and sometimes shorter than the calyx, and the latter and the pedicels are sometimes glabrous and
sometimes pubescent, and, as it were, glandular.
7. A. propinqua; “ caespitosa, glanduloso-pilosa, foliis lineari-subulatis acutis trinerviis,
calyce acuto trinervi petalis vix longiori capsula breviori.”—Rich, in Frankl. Is£ Joum.
ed. 2. App.p. 17.
Hab. Barren ground^, north of lat. 54°, to the Arctic Sea. Dr. Richardson. Summits of the Rocky
Mountains. Drummond.—-Dr. Richardson has fully , described this in the place above quoted, and has justly
remarked that it has the habit of A. vema, but that its flowers are much smaller. The whole plant is, indeed,
slenderer, and the hue more glaucous, or sometimes inclining to purple. In the last expedition, specimens
were found without the glands, which brings it nearer to some states of A. vema, with which perhaps
it should be united. It seems again intermediate between it and the following.
8. A. hirta; foliis lineari-subulatis o'btusis bisulcis hirtis, caulibus hirtis 2—3-floris,
calycibus 3-nerviis acutis capsula brevioribus, petalis oblongis capsula subbrevioribus.
DC.— Wormsk. in Fl. Dan. 1.1646. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1. p. 405. (excl. syn. Als. nibellce,
Wahl.) Cham, et Schlecht. in Linncea, v. 1. p. 56.
Hab. Kotzebue’s Sound. Lay and Collie.in Capt. Becchey's Voyage.—I have specimens of this plant