with authentic Lapland ones from Professor Wahlenberg, and
there can be no question of their identity. It will be seen by
the synonyms that a difference of opinion has existed as to
the genus of the plant; but when it is considered that the
group of Alsine to which this belongs has been, by almost
universal consent, referred to Arenaria, and that the modern
genus Alsinanthe is but a subgroup of Alsine, we cannot do
wrong in preferring the name of Schleicher, adopted by De-
Candolle. It should rank near Arenaria Rossii and Michauxii,
two species of North America. In the British Flora its nearest
affinities are A. verna and rubella.
The plant grows in a tufted manner, but not densely so, and
is everywhere glabrous. Root small, descending, fibrous, said
to be perennial. Stems several from the same point of the top of
the root, spreading, procumbent at the base; the leafy portion,
or stem proper, is short, from 1 to 2-4 inches, simple or
branched, wiry. Leaves more or less crowded, opposite, connate,
curved inwards towards the centre of the tuft, narrow
linear-subulate, scarcely tapering, obtuse, flat on the inside,
semiterete on the back, of a dark lurid or purplish green, as
is the whole plant; when dry an obscure line or depression
appears on the keel at the base. The stems, or their branches,
are lengthened out, above the leafy portion, into what may
be called a terminal erect peduncle 2-4 inches long, bearing
1-3 pedicels an inch or more long; when the pedicels are
3, they form a kind of umbel, with a pair of small leaf-like
bracts at the base, and each lateral pedicel has near the
middle a lesser pair of such bracts. Calyx of 5, ovate, acute,
or slightly acuminate, 3-nerved leaves, the nerves disappearing
near the middle, the margin membranaceous and almost
white. Petals oval, or rather obovate, obtuse, a little shorter
than the calyx, obscurely 5-nerved. Stamens 10, alternately a
little longer. Filaments white. Anthers subrotund, yellow.
Germen between ovate and subglobose, much shorter than
the petals, obtuse, with the sutures of the 3 valves distinctly
marked, as well observed by Wahlenberg. The mature capsule
we have not seen; it is said to be nearly equal in length
writh the calyx and petals. Styles 3, spreading. Stigmas obtuse.—
W. J. H.