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S A G I N A ceraftoides*
Moufe-ear Pearl-wort.
^ E jT R. A N D jR. I Tetragynia*
Gen. Char. Cal. 4-leaved. Petals 4. Cap/. with 4
cells and 4 valves.
Spec. Char. Stem diffufe and dichotomous. Leaves,
fpatulate or obovate, recurved. Foot-ftalks of
the ripe fruit reflexed.
Syn. Sagina ceraftoides. Pranf. o f Linn. Soc. Vol. 2.:
343-
M R . James Dickfon, who difcovered this plant on the fandy
lhores and rocks about the Firth of Forth in Scotland, flow-
June ant^ July> h before the Linnaean Society
in October laft; and from his fpecimens, both wild and cultivated,
Dr. Smith has drawn up a full defcription, printed
m the 2d volume of the Society’s Tranfadtions, juft about to
appear.
The habit of this plant is very like that of a Ceraftium, but
the number of the parts of fructification make it a Sagina, to
which genus it therefore mult be referred, as the genera in.
this natural order are founded on differences of number alone,
Mr. Dickfon has obferved the number of ftamina to be con-
ttantly four in the wild plant: truth obliges us to declare we
have in cultivated very luxuriant fpecimens fometimes found five,
though in the fame flower the petals, calyx-leaves and ftyles
were but fo u r; a fufficient indication that the fifth ftamen waa
an unnatural luxuriance.
The root appears to be annual. Stems ptoftrate, dichoto-
mous, hairy in the upper part. Leaves like thofe of a Ceraftium,
hairy. Flowers folitary, on longifh foot-ftalks from
each diyifion of the ftem, which foot-ftalks, as the fruit ripens,
become reflexed. Calyx of four leaves, two of which have a
membranous margin. Petals Ihorter than the calyx, cloven,
white. Stamina ftill Ihorter. Germen oval. Styles lhort.
Capfule burfting with 8 blunt teeth. The flowers expand
only m bright weather.