Arenaria modesta, Dufour

48. A. modesta Dufour View in CoL , Ann. Gén. Sci. Phys. (Bruxelles) 7:291 (1821).

Annual; stems 5-15 cm, often branched from the base, glandular-pubescent. Leaves 3-10 mm, linear or linear-oblanceolate, acute, 1-veined. Inflorescence usually many-flowered, lax; pedicels 2-5 times as long as sepals, erect or patent in fruit, with patent glandular and minute deflexed eglandular hairs, rarely more or less eglandular. Sepals 3-4(-5) mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute with a very fine, sharp point, obscurely 3-veined, glandular-pubescent; petals more or less equalling sepals, oblong, obtuse, white. Capsule slightly exceeding sepals, ovoid-conic. Seeds c. 0-5 mm, reniform, with usually obtuse tubercles. 2« = 26. Dry places. E. & S. Spain; S. France. G a Hs. Var. purpurascens Cuatrec. from S.E. Spain may merit subspecific status; it has the sepals less finely acute and the seeds (0-6-)0-7-0-8 mm, with acute tubercles. In these respects it approaches 49, but is quite distinct from it in the shape of its leaves.