Genus 3. 



PINK FAMILY. 



63 



I. Silene acaulis L. AIoss Campion. Fig. 1801. 



Silcne acaulis L. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 603, 1762. 



Perennial, puberulent or glabrous, branched, densely tufted, 

 i'-3' high. Leaves sessile, crowded, linear, 4"-6" long, about 

 i'' wide, obtuse or acutish at the apex, the margins ciliate- 

 serrulate; flowers solitary at the ends of the branches, sessile 

 or slender-peduncled, 4"-6" broad, purple or purplish, rarely 

 white; calyx campanulate, glabrous, 4" high; petals entire or 

 emarginate, with a scale at the base of the blade ; pod oblong, 

 equalling or exceeding the calyx. 



Summits of the White Mountains, N. H. ; Gaspe, Quebec ; Cape 

 Breton Island, Labrador and throughout arctic America, south in 

 the higher Rocky Mountains to Arizona. Also in arctic and alpine 

 Europe and Asia. Cushion- or moss-pink. Summer. 



2. Silene stellata (L.) Ait. Starry Campion. Tliermon Snake-root. Fig. 1802. 



Ciicnbahis slcllatiis L. Sp. PI. 414. 1753. 

 Silene sicllala Ait. f. Hort. Kew. 3: 84. iSii. 



Perennial, erect, 2-3l high, densely and mi- 

 nutely rough-pubescent throughout. Leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, 2'-4' long, i'-l' wide, ver- 

 ticillate in 4's or the lowest opposite, their margins 

 finely ciliate ; flowers white, 7"-lo" broad, in pan- 

 icled cymes, forming a large showy inflorescence ; 

 calyx campanulate, inflated, 7"-8" high, its teeth 

 triangular, acute ; petals crownless, fimbriate, about 

 equalling the stamens ; pod globose-ovoid, about the 

 length of the calyx. 



In woods, Massachusetts to Minnesota, Nebraska, 

 Georgia and Arkansas. June-Aug. 



Silene ovata Pursh, which has the habit of this spe- 

 cies but the leaves opposite, is recorded by Pursh from 

 the western parts of Virginia and Carolina," but is not 

 definitely known from Virginia. 



Silene alba r^Iulil. Western White or Snowy Campion. Fig. 1803. 



Silene alba Muhl. Cat. 45. 181 3. 

 Cucttbalus nivcHS Nutt. Gen. i: 287. 1818. 

 Silene nivea Otth in DC. Prodr. i: 377. 1824. 



Perennial, ascending or erect, rather weak, 

 simple, or divergently branched above, minutely 

 puberulent or glabrate. Leaves lanceolate or 

 oblong-lanceolate, 3'-5' long, 5"-8" wide, acu- 

 minate, the upper gradually smaller, and sub- 

 tending the flowers ; pedicels about i' long, di- 

 varicate ; flowers few, often solitary, about 10" 

 broad : petals white above, yellowish-green be- 

 neath ; calyx inflated, elongated-campanulate, 

 pubescent, its teeth ovate, obtuse, more or less 

 scarious-margined ; petals cuneate, 2-cleft, or 

 2-lobed, minutely crowned. 



In shaded or moist places, Pennsylvania to Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, Minnesota and Nebraska. June- 

 July. 



