gpERGULA NODOSA. Knotted Spurrey
SPERGULA Lin.Gm.Pl. D e c a n d r ia P e n t a g y n i a .
Cal. 5-phyllus. Pelala 5 integra. Cap/, ovata, i-locularis, j-valvis.
Raii Syn. Gin. 24. H erbal P e n t a p e t a l /e V a s c o l i f e r æ .
SPERGULA tudofa foliis oppofitis fubulatis lævibus cauHbus fimplicibus. Lin. Syfi. Végétai, p. 363'.
Sp. PI. p. 630.
ALSINE foliis fuperioribus fafciculatis. Haller. Hiß. n. 871.
STELLARIA nodofa. Scopoli FI. Cam. n. 545.
ALSINE nodofa Germanica. Baub. Pin. p. 251.
ALSINE paluftris,n- *• 7- À'ericæ folio, polygonoides, articulis crebioribus, flore albo pulchello. Pluk. aim. 4-
SAXIFRAGA paluftris Anglica. Park. 427. , _ . A ~ 8 « n
ALSINE paluftris foliis tenuiflimis, feu Saxifraga paluftris Anglica. Ger. emac. 567. 568. Ran byn. p.
350. Englifli Marfli-Saxifrage. Hudfon Fl. Angl. ed. 2. p. 203. Lightjoot FI. Scot. p. 244.
L:ADIX perennis, fibrofa.
huLES ex una radice plures, palmares et ultra, nunc.
procumbentes, nunc afcendentes, poft floref- '
eentiam fæpe repentes, fimpliçes feu ramofi,,
teretes, tenues, glabri, parce pilofv pilis ad
lentem globuliferis, crebris geniculis intercepti,
geniculis tumidis.
fcoLIA radie ali a plurima, cæfpitofa, læté virentia, line-
aria, acuta, uncialia, fubcarnofa, glabra, cau-
lina inferiora paulo breviora, connata, fuperiora
brevifîima, teretiufcula, fafciculata, ex alis
proliféra.
FLORES albi, delicatuli, in fummis caulibus et ramulis,
majores quam pro plantulæ modo.
ROOT perennial and fibrous.
STALKS feveral from one root, four inches or more in
length, fometimes procumbent, fometimes
nearly upright, after flowering often creeping,
Ample or branched, round, (lender, fmooth,
»fparingly haired, the hairs appearing globular
at top when magnified, having numerous
joints which are fwelled.
LEAVES next the root numerous, forming a turf, o ra
beautiful dark green colour, linear, pointed,
about an inch in length, fomewhat flefhy,
fmooth, the lowermoft ftalk-leaves a little
longer than the radical ones, joined together
at bottom, the uppermoft ftalk-leaves very
(hort, from their alae producing fmall tufts of
leaves, the rudiments of branches.
; FLOWERS white, and delicate, fitting on the tops of
; the ftalks and branches, large in proportion to
the fize of the plant.
; FLOWER-STALKS upright, about half an inch in
: length.
■ C A L Y X : P er ianthium compofed of fiveleaves, which
are oblong, hollow, (lightly hairy, the hairs
like thofe on the ftalk. jig. 1 .
IaLYX : P e r ianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ob-
longis, concavis, fubpilofis, pUis ut in caule.
[cOROLLA • P e t ALA quinque, alba, calyce duplo I COROLLA compofed of five white petals, twice the
I longiora, ovato-rotundata, integerrima. Jig. 2. f length of the calyx, of a roundifh egg-(hape,
° , X . perfeftly entire, jig. 2.
STAMINA • F il am e n t a decern, fubulata, alba,, corolla | STAMINA: ten F il am e n t s tapering, white, (horter
breviora. A nther as concolores, incumbentes, | than the corolla. A n t h e r s of the fame colour,
primo bilobae, lobis oblongis, parallelis. Jig. 3. J tying acrofs the filament, at firft compofed of
r | two oblong lobes parallel to each other, jig. 3.
fPlSTlLLUM: G ermen turbinatum. St y l i quinque, * P ISTILLUM: G ermen broad at bottom, narrow at top.
filiformes, villofuli, reflexi. St ig m a t a fim-| St y l e s five, filiform, (lightly villous and
Hcia . | reflexed. St ig m a t a Ample, jig. 4.
fERICARPIUM : C apsula parva, ovata, calyce te&a, | SEED-VESSEL : a fmall ovate C apsule covered with
unilocularis, quinquevalvis.
jSEMlNA plurima, minima, nigricantia.
the calyx, of one cavity and five valves.
| SEEDS numerous, very minute, of a blackifh colour.
The Spergula nodofa recomhiends itfelf to our notice by the beauty of its verdure, and the delicacy of‘ its
iloffoinsr the largenefs and whitenefs of which, joined to its place of growth, ferve alfo to diftmguifh it from
Me plants which may have (ome refemblance to it in their foliage. _ ,, ■ « . i e. „
It grows in moift fituations, frequently among herbage, and fometimes out of Walls, Rocks, and Stones,
lhave obferved it growing out of the wall by the Thames fide, in feveral places betwixt Lambeth and Putney. 11 have alfo found it on Hounjlow Heath with the Sagina procumbens and Centunculus minimus. It flowers in July
I About“'London it is a fcarce plant; but in the north of England it is very common on the borders of rivulets, and
grows generally more upright than with us: a fmall fpecimen of it, in this (late, is reprefented on the plate.