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C E N T U N C U L U S minimus.
Chaff-w eed or B a fla rd Pim pernel.
T E T R A ND R I A Monogytiia.
G en. C har. Cal. 4-cleft. Cor. 4-cleft, inferior, tubular;
limb fpreading. Siam, fhort, fmootb. Capf.
o f 1 cell, burfting all round, with many feeds.
Spec. C har. . . . . . .
Sy n . Centunculus minimus. Linn. Sp. P I. 169.
Hudf. 63. With. 198. Curt. Lond. fafc. 3. t. 11.
Dickf. H . Sicc. fa fc. 7. 2.
Centunculus. D ill, in Rati Syn. 1.
O n E of the leaft of our “ perfect plants,” as they are called,
which, perhaps, is„ reckoned more rare than it really is, from
being fo eafily overlooked. It grows on watery, fandy heaths,
and has been fent us from near Ampthill, Bedfordfhire. It has
been found on feveral heaths to the weft and fouth of London,
flowering in June and July.
Root fmall, and annual. The herb varies much in fize, like
all annuals. Stem generally a little branched at the bafe, ere£t,
an inch or two high, a little angular, leafy, fmooth. Leaves
alternate, feflile, fpreading, ovate, entire, fmooth. Flowers
folitary, feflile in the bofoms of the leaves, white or reddifh,
expanded only in the moft brilliant funlhine, and very fhort-
lived. Segments of the calyx lanceolate, acute. Corolla permanent,
tubular at the bafe, its limb in 4 acute fpreading feg-
ments. Stamina awl-fhaped, fmooth, very fhort, inferted into
the tube. Capfule globofe, crowned with the permanent ftyle.
There is certainly great affinity between this plant and the
Anagallis; M. de Juffieu has even faid that it has fometimes
5-cleft flowers, with 5 ftamina, and fo becomes an Anagallis.
W e think, however, the fmooth ftamina, as well as the tubular
form of the corolla, independent of number, juftify Dillenius
in making it diftinft. It has the habit and flower nearly of
Lyftmachia Linum-Jlellatum, with the fruit of Anagallis. The
corolla is permanent, though it foon withers, being forced off
only by the fwelling feed-veflel.