CARYOPHYLLE^. 85 



used for food ; generally of little use, but numerous, and widely- 

 spread over the temperate and colder regions, forming -^^ of the 

 flowering plants of North America, j\ of Lapland, ^\ of France. 

 Lindley. The order contains fourteen genera, and a large num- 

 ber of species, in North America, and is distinguished commonly 

 into two obvious divisions, of no great consequence in a popular 

 view of plants, but preserved here for convenience. 



1. The sepals united in a tube ; SilenecBj from one of the 

 principal genera. 



DiANTHUs. L. 10. 2. Pink. 



So named from the Greek, floicer of Jove, to express the 

 great beauty and fragrance of the flower, especially of the first 

 species. 



D. caryophyllus. L. Carnation. This is found only in flower- 

 gardens, being an exotic from the south side of the Alps. They 

 have been so long cultivated in Europe, and are such favorites 

 among all lovers of flowers, that 400 varieties existed more than a 

 century ago, and as many are found now. They are divided into 

 three classes ; Flakes, which have only two colors and stripes 

 large and deep ; Bizarres (French, odd, irregular), variegated 

 with three colors in irregular spots and stripes ; Picotees (French, 

 prickled or spotted), which have a white ground, spotted with 

 scarlet, red, purple, or other colors. The last have the smallest 

 flowers, or smaller than common carnations, and distinguished by 

 their serrated petals ; also more hardy. Though 5 petals are the 

 due number in this genus, in the Carnations the flowers have 

 double or triple that number, and become very large by cultiva- 

 tion. Loudon. 



D. armeria. L. Red Pink. A native of England, and the 

 chief pink cultivated a few years ago in the western part of the 

 State. In a few places it appears to be naturalized. 



D. Chinensis. L. China Pink. A native of China ; has 

 reddish and whitish flowers, with toothed petals and linear scales. 



