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MR. F. N. WILLIAMS ON THE GENUS SILENE. 
SILENE. 
Herbe annue, biennes vel perennes suffruticesve. Radix 
simplex vel ramosa, perpendicularis vel obliqua, in perennibus 
crassa, lignosa, rhizoma repens sepe formans, caules foliosos 
et floriferos emittens. Caulis altitudine valde varians, teres 
vel raro nervo foliorum mediano decurrente triangulatus, glaber 
vel pubescens vel glandulosus, seepe presertim superne viscosus, 
foliosus aut, foliis inferne in rosulam confertis, aphyllus et 
apice florifer, raro in foliornm rosulam abbreviatus et tum 
ramos florigeros lateraliter emittens ; simplex et apice tantum 
flores nonnullos ferens aut plus minus ramosus. Folia integra, 
sessilia vel basi in petiolum angustata, opposita, decussata, 
rarissime quasi superposita quaterna, latitudine valde variantia, 
ovato-lanceolata lanceolatave, linearia vel triquetra interdum 
pungentia, glabra vel pubescentia. Bracteew et prophylla 
herbaceee, ssepe margine membranacee et ciliate, vel scariose. 
Inflorescentia racemosa, racemo aut simplici interdum ad 
florem unum ternosve terminales reducto vel in dichasium 
plus minus compositum laxum capitatumve transmutato vel 
altero dichasii ramo abortivo scorpioideo (racemum  uni- 
lateralem), aut racemo composito ramis racemos simplices 
vel inferne rursum compositos raro dichasia formantibus, 
interdum ramis contractis verticillastra fingentibus. Flores 
hermaphroditi, interdum abortu dioici, plus minus longe 
pedicellati, erecti, patentes vel nutantes.—Calyx gamophyllus, 
tubulosus, clavatus, turbinatus vel campanulatus, interdum 
ampliatus, glaber vel pubescens, umbilicatus vel umbilico 
destitutus vel infra basin annulo circulari auctus, 5-dentatus, 
dentibus margine sepe scariosis ciliatis, 10-20-30-vel 60-nervius, 
evenius vel nervis anastomosantibus. Petala 5 unguiculata, 
raro subobsoleta inconspicua, cum staminibus carpophori vel 
stipitiformis plus minus elongati vel cyathiformis crassi 
brevis apice inserta, prefloratione aut alternatim contorta aut 
imbricata, unguibus ciliatis vel glabris, interdum apice 
dilatatis vel utrinque auriculatis, lamina integra biloba vel 
bipartita vel interdum multifida, ad faucem biappendiculata 
bigibbosa Squamata vel ecoronata. Stamina 10, petalis alterna 
 majora, opposita 5 unguibus basi cohwrentibus minora: fila- 
menta filiformia; anther biloculares longitudinaliter introrsum 
dehiscentes. Ovarium basi triloculare, septis supra placente 
