M on T iA F o n t a n a . B l i n k s ,
MONTIA Linn. Gen. PL T r ian pr ia T rigynia.
Cal. 2-phyllus. Cor. l-petala irregularis. Caps, l-locularis, 3-valvis.
Raii.Syn. Gen. 24. Herbie Pentapetalje V asculi feral.
MONTIA fontana Linn. Syft. Vegetal, p. n o . Sp. PL 129. Suec. n. 115.
MONTIA Haller Hifi. n. 301.
PORTULACA arvenfis. Bauh. Pin. 282.
CAMERARIA arvenfis minor. Hill. Gifs. 46.
PORTULACA exigua feu arvenfis Camerarii. J . B. III. 678.
PORTULACA tricoccos. Pet. Herb. Brit. 10. 12.
ALSINE flofculis conniventibus. Merr. Pin.
ALSINEFORMIS paludofa tricarpos, flofculis albis inapertis. Pluk. Aim. 21. T. 7. ƒ 5.
ALSINE parya paluftris tricoccos, Portulacae aquaticae fimilis. Raii Syn. p. 352. Small Water
Chickweed, or Purflane, by fome called Blinks.
Oeder FI. Dan. t. 113.
Hudfon F.L Angl. ed. 2. p. 60.
Lightfoot FI. Scot. p. 110.
RADIX annua, fibrofa.
IGAULES plurimi, teretes, glabri, rubentes, in terram 1
reclinatiet fubinde radices agentes, duorum, 1
triumve digitorum longitudine, ramofi et ere- j
bris geniculis intercepti.
IFOLIA oppofita, feflilia, oblonga, acutiufcula, prope (
bafin anguftata, fubcarnofa, glabra, pallide 1
virentia. * 1
EllDUNCULI plerumque terni, uniflori, axillares, 1
pera&â florefeentiâ recurvati, poftea ere&i,
folds longiores, e fquama membranacea pro-
deuntes.
E8ALYX: Perianthium diphyllum; foliolis ova-
tis, concavis, obtufis, ere&is, periiftentibus,
* fig-}- 9- _
.'COROLLA monopetal a, quinquepartita, alba, laci-
niis tribus, alternis, minoribus, ftaminiferis,
fig' 2, ,3, 4-
»AMINA: Filamenta tria, capillaria, corolla bre-
viora, cui inferta: A n th er a parvas, albas,
fig' 4*
®TILLUM: G ermen turbinatum, fubtriangulare;
Styli tres, villofi, patentes ; Stigmata
fimplicia,- fig. 5.
^RICARPIUM: Calyx permanens, auflus, trun-
catus, continet Capsulam, turbinatam, uni-
locularem, trivalvem, valvulis ovatis, acutis,
monofpermis, demiflo femine filiformibus,
calyce paulo longioribus* fig. 6, 7, 8, 10.
ROOT annual, and fibrous.
STALK S numerous, round, fmooth, reddifli,fpreading
on the ground, and fometimes ftriking root,
• two or three inches in length, branched and
jointed;
LEAVES oppofite, feflile, oblong, fomewhat pointed,
narrowed near the bafe, rather flefhy, fmooth,
and of a pale green colour.
FLOWER-STALKS generally growing three together,
each fupporting .one flower, proceeding
from a little fcale in the bolbm of the leaves,
as foon as the flowering is over hanging
down, afterwards becoming upright and
longer than the leaves.
C A L YX : a Perianthium of two leaves: the leaves
ovate, concave, obtufe, upright, and permanent,
fig. 1, 9.
COROLLA of one petal, deeply divided into-five feg-
ments, of a-white colour, the three alternate
ones leaft, having the ftamina, attached to
*em, Jig. 2, 3, 4.
STAMINA: three flender Filaments fhorter than
the corolla to which they are conne&ed:
A n t h e r .« fmall and white, fig. 4.
PISTILLUM : G ermen large at top, fmall at bottom,
and fomewhat triangular; Styles three,
villous, fpreading; Stigmata Ample, fig. c.
SEED-VESSEL: the permanent and increafing Ca l
yx , cut off as it were at top, contains a Capsule
of the fame fhape as the germen, of one
cavity and three valves, the valves ovate, and
pointed,each containing one feed, on the falling
o f which they become thread-fhaped, and
a little longer than the calyx, fig. 6, 7, 8, 10.
SEEDS black RMINA nigra, fubreniformia, fig. and fomewhat kidney-fhaped, fig. 1 1.
T j j p^ant) p j f f i p there is but one fpecies, appears firft to have had a generic chara&er beflowed on it t
a f t e rw ^ f l§ f called it Cameraria in honour of C amera rius, a German Phyfician and Botanift; Michej
ilm la'r2 J ^ red his Nova Genera, and gave it the name of Monti, in commemoration of his coui
Hg Monti, an Italian Botanift, which name has been adopted by LiNNifius.
defcrintY^ humification, which are reprefented in a magnified ftate on the plate, and of which a particul.
K P on ,s Slven> are lingular enough to juftify thefe authors in making it a diftin& genus.
naiPe °h Blinks has perhaps been given to this plant from the bloffoms ufually appearing
■ P d ltate, but when the fun fhines on them they are fully expanded.
efpecially on' the moift gravelly parts of heaths, where the watef ftagnates in tl
and rin^nin . k‘ ffiea}K Hampfiead-Heath, and in other fimilar fituations it is very common, flowering in Ma
Pening us feed in the beginning of June. 6
°f|marbird! CU^'va^on> ^ot remarked for its utility in. any refpeft; the feed may propably be the fot