CARYOPHYLLE^. 87 



Jl. githago. L. Cockle. A well-known weed of wheat 

 6elds, hairy, and bearing fine rose-colored flowers, and often 

 called Rose Campion ; introduced ; scarcely naturalized ; propa- 

 gated with the wheat. 



The name githago, is from the resemblance of the seeds to 

 git or gith, aromatic grains supposed of Nigella sativa, L., used in 

 cookery. The black seeds greatly injure the flour of wheat. 



Jl. coronaria. L. Mullein Pink. Named from its woolly 

 leaves, bearing white or red flowers, sometimes double ; a plant 

 desired from its singular appearance ; a native of Italy. 



CUCUBALUS. L. 10. 3. 



The name signifies a bad subject ; as the seeds of C. baccifcr, 

 a native of England, are very poisonous, it is named evil weed. 

 Loudon. 



C. behen. L. Bladder Campion. Formerly a Silene, na- 

 tive of Crete, about fences and roads ; stem a foot or two high, 

 smooth, paniculate, with white, spreading, nodding flowers, and 

 with spatulate, radical leaves, and opposite, ovate, acute, entire, 

 stem-leaves ; calyx inflated or bladder-like, an obvious and strik- 

 ing character ; introduced ; substitute for asparagus and green 

 peas, according to Loudon. 



C. slellatus. L. Star Campion, is a native of this country 

 and State; stem 2 — 4 feet high, erect, branching, pubescent, 

 with whorled, lanceolate leaves in fours ; white, paniculate 

 flowers ; petals about 4-cleft ; July ; woods ; calyx inflated and 

 pubescent. 



Silene. L. 10. 3. Catchfly. 



More than 70 species are enumerated under this genus, and are 

 generally plants of little use or beauty ; and, as many of them 

 are covered with a viscid, offensive matter, the genus was named 

 after the dirty and drunken heathen deity, Silenus. 3 or 4 spe- 

 cies are peculiar to this country, and a few others are the same as 

 the European ; only 2 species are found in this Commonwealth. 



