CARYOPHYLLACEvE 



THE LEAVES: opposite; fat; ovate; shiny and without 

 hairs on either surface; acute or with a small, short, abrupt 

 tip at the apex; stemless and partly clasping at the base; 

 entire. 



THE FLOWERS: (seldom found) generally grow in the axils 

 of the leaves, on short stems; the petals five, entire or 

 sometimes barely notched, rarely lacking. 



THE FRUIT: a pod, globular, depressed, with a pointed 

 peak, distinctly grooved. 



The Nantucket beach plants, few in number, are for- 

 tunately blessed with strong characteristics and are thus 

 easy to identify. This is that light green, fleshy plant 

 that grows in circular mats on the shore; its short, and 

 stout branches stand stiff and erect and hold the sand 

 blown among them until miniature dunes are formed. 

 The flowers are seldom seen, the plant is extremely unin- 

 teresting, but its yellow-greenness does give life to the 

 beaches. 



CARYOPHYLLACE.E PINK FAMILY 



Stellaria media, (L.) Cyrill. 



White Common Chick weed, 



Starwort, 



April-October Starweed, 



Winterweed, 

 Birdweed. 



Stellaria: from the Latin for star, in allusion to the star- 

 shaped flowers. 

 Media: from Latin signifying intermediate. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil. 



THE PLANT: weak, tufted, semi-prostrate, much branched, 

 without hairs except for a line along the stem and branches, 

 on the sepals, and sometimes on the margins of the petals. 



86 



