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A R E N A R I A tenuifolia,
Fine-leaved Sandwort.
D E C A N D R I A Trigynia•
G e n . C h a r . Cal. 5-leaved, fpreading. Petals 5, undivided.
Caff, of one cell, with many feeds.
S p e c . C ha r . Leaves awl-fhaped. Stem panicled.
Capfules ereft. Petals lanceolate, fhorter than
the calyx.
S y n . Arenaria tenuifolia. Linn. S f. PI. 607. Pludf.
FI. An. 192. W ith . Bot. A r r . 461. Relh. Cant,
172. Sihth. Oxon. 142.
Alfine tenuifolia. R a il Syn. 350.
S E N T by th e R ev . M r. H em fted from th e neighbourhood
o f N ewm a rk e t, w h e re it grows in d ry fandy fields, on walls,
&c. c o n ten tin g itfe lf w ith very fpare n o u rifhm en t, th o u g h not
fu c cu len t fo as to re fill m u ch d ro u g h t. Ac cordingly it flowers
e arly in fum me r, an d is foon entirely dried up. Its feeds p roduc
e an o th e r crop th e following fpring.
T h e fmall an n u a l ro o t bears feveral b ran ch in g Items, varying
m u ch in fize according to th e degree o f moffiure they are fup-
plied w ith , an d clothed w ith oppofite awl-lhaped leaves, joined
a t th e ir bafe, ftria ted a t th e ir back, o r ra th e r 3 -ribbed, fmooth.
Flowe r-ftalks folitary, fingle-flowered, c apillary, e r e f t, onger
th a n th e leaves, an d fo num ero u s as to make th e Item look like
a panicle. Flowe rs very fmall and inconfpicuous. Calyx-leaves
lanc eola te , very a cu te, 3-ribbed, w ith a wh ite membranous
m a rg in , an d twice as long as th e little n a rrow wh ite petals.
T h e flowers ra re ly expand b u t in b rig h t fun-fliine, and are
foon paft. S tamin a certainly te n , very Ihort. Ge rm en ro u n d .
Capfule cylindrica l, as long as the calyx. I t is a little p lan t o f
infignificant appea ranc e, whofe ufe e ith e r to mankind o r th e
b ru te c re a tio n is h ith e rto u n known.