452 DECANDRIA. TRIGYNIA. stellaria. 



Lam. III. t. 378. Nat. Orel. Caryophylle^ 

 Ju s s. Stitchwort. 



1. S, pubera Mich.: pubescent; stem decumbent; 

 leaves ovate-oblong, sessile, acute, subciliate, somewhat un- 

 dulate; pedicels dichotomal, recurved; petals longer thaw 

 thecalyx. Mich. Fl. I. \>. 273. P « r s A F/. I. p. 317. 

 Elliott Sk.Lip. 517. Xutt. Gen. I. p. 289. 



Root perennial. S(e?n 6 — 10 inches long, diffuse, dichotomous, 

 with 2 opposite pubescent lines. Leaves an inch and a half 

 or 2 inches long, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, acute at each end, 

 more or less undulate; margin and midrib pubescent. Flowers 

 large, axillary, and terminal; fiedicels filiform, hairy, recurved 

 or'deflexed. Calyx pubescent; leaflets ovate-lanceolate, 

 spreading, rather obtuse, obscurely nerved. Petals white, 

 deeply bifid, expanding ; segments linear-oblong. Capsule 

 roundish-ovate. Seeds 3 — 4, large, cochleate,muricate, brown. 



IIab. On shady rocks near the Fails of the Schuylkill, in the 

 vicinity of P<-iiladelphia. May — June. 



2. S. media Smith: stems procumbent, with an alter- 

 nate pubescent lateral Ime; leaves ovate, smooth; petals 

 2-p>r1e.l; stamens 5 — 10. Smith FL Brit. II. p. 473. 

 Enir. Hot. t. 57.3. P nrsh FL i. p. 317. Big. Bost. p. 

 lOi^. Alsine media L. Sp. pi. 389. 



Root annual. Stem often a foot or more in length, prostrate^ 

 much branched, weak, with an alternate Irairy line between 

 each joint. Leaves peliolate, opposite, acute ; petioles ciliate. 

 Perfwndes axdiary and terminal, solitary, 1 -flowered. Calyx 

 hairy, with lanceolate leaflets. Petals ahorter than the calyx, 

 cleft nearly to the base. Stamens mostly 5, sometimes 10, or S. 

 Cafisule ovate. Seeds roundish, compressed, nearly even. 



Hab. In cultivated grounds, on road sides, Sec Flowers from 

 March to December. Common Chickiveed. 



3. S. longifolia M uhl.: very smooth ; stem erect, quad- 

 rangular, weak ; leaves linear-lanceolate ; panicle terminal ; 

 peduncles divaricate, very long, bracteate ; petals broad-obo- 

 vate, 2-parted, longer than the acute 3-nerved calyx; styles 

 3_4, Mnhl. Cat. p. 46. Eat. Man. Bot. ed. 2. p. 45. 

 S. longipes G oldie in Edin. Phil. Mag. Vi. p. 327. S. 

 graminea Big. Bost, p. 110. Si'ERGulastrum grammeum 

 jVf ic A. i^/. I. p. 276. MiCROFET ALU n grammeum Pers, 

 Byn. I. p. 509. P u r s h FL I. p. 320, 



Root perennial. Stem a foot or more high, very weak and slen- 

 der, acutely quadrangular, dichotomous. Leaves an inch and 

 a half or 2 inches long, scarcely more than aline broad, acute. 

 Pariicle large, loose; fiedicel filllorm, much spreading, and 

 when old rellexcd. Calyx smooth ; leaflets ovate-lanccoliUe, 



