SAGINA maritima.
Sea Pearlwort.
TETRANDRIA Tetragynia.
G e n . C h a r . Cal. 4 -leaved. Petals 4 . Capsule o f
1 ce ll.
S p e c . C h a r . Stems nearly upright, divaricated, smooth.
L eave s obtuse, without bristles. Petals obsolete.
S y n . Sagina maritima. Don Herb, B rit. fa sc . Ï . 1 55.
V J E originally received this plant from Mr. R. Brown, who
gatnered it in 1799, at Bally-castle in Ireland, near the
Giant’ s Causeway. Mr. G. Don sent the same from the
summit of Ben Nevis in 1803, and we find no difference between
this and his S. maritima, gathered on various parts of
the Scottish coast. It is annual, flowering from May to
August.
The root is small and slender. Stems several, 2 to 4 inches
high, some of them decumbent at the base, then ascending
or nearly upright, much branched, partly forked, and spread-
in g; they are round, smooth, leafy, frequently purplish.
Leaves opposite at each joint, clasping the stem with a peculiarly
white and conspicuous membranous edge. Their form
is short, thick and blunt, inclining to spatulate, often tipped
with a minute point, but no bristle, and the base is very
rarely slightly fringed. Flower-stalks axillary, lateral or terminal,
slender, erect, from half an inch to an inch long. Calyx
of four broad-ovate, obtuse leaves, with a white membra-
nous edge. Petals minute, often altogether wanting. Stamens
observed by Mr. Don to be sometimes eight. Capsule of four
ovate valves, about the size and shape of the calyx.
The capsule of S. apetala, t. 881, is twice as long as the
calyx, and the linear leaves, tipped with a bristle, as well as
the hairy stems, sufficiently mark that species. The present
agrees more in character with precumlens, t. 880, but differs
widely in habit, and is not procumbent nor perennial.