288 DECANDRIA. TRIGYNIA. 



412. SILENE. />. (Catch-Fly. " WiM-Pink."J 

 Calix cylindric or conic. Petals 5, unguicu- 

 late, generally crowned at the orifice. Capsule 

 3-celIed. 



Peduncles 1 or many-flowered, axillary, terminal, or 

 dichotomal. 



Species. 1. S. quinquetnilncra. 2. pensylvanica. 3- 

 'vivginica. 4. Catesbai. Flowers scarlet. 5. regia. Curt. 

 Bot, Ma.^. Stem tall and erect; leaves broad-ovate, some- 

 what asperate; branches trichotomally fioriterons; calix 

 long and cylindric, petals generally entire, style and sta- 

 mina exserted Hab. Throughout the western states 

 sparingly from Ohio to Lower Louisiana, one of the most 

 splendid species in existence. Obs. Uoot perennial. 

 Stem erect and stout 4 or 5 feet high, much branched, 

 joints tumid, branches rigid and erect, and as well as the 

 whole plant pulverulent ly pul>3scent and viscid, upper 

 leaves acuminate. Flowers large, and bright scarlet, ve- 

 ry numerous, dichotomal and terminal. Calix conspicu- 

 ously striated. Petals oblanceolate usually entire, appen- 

 dices of the orifice distinct. 



6. *roiun(lifolio. Decumbent; stenn, calix and margin of 

 the leaves very pilose; leaf dilated-oval, acuminate at eaci* 

 extremity; flowers few trichotomal; petals laciniated, 

 subquadrifid, lateral segments sliorter; orifice crowned. 

 Ha3. In the state of Ohio and Tennessee, on the moist 

 ledges of rocks; flowering from July to August. A very 

 singular and beautiful species willi bright scarlet flow- 

 ers. Obs. Partly procumbent and difl"use, the stems be- 

 ing weak and almost filiform. Leaves nearly smooth ex- 

 cepting the margin, ventricosely dilated, and abruptly at- 

 tenuated at each extremity; subulately and abruptly acu- 

 minate above. Flowers few, almost terminal, simply or 

 doubly trichotomal. Calix densely pilose and soft, angu- 

 larly striate, cylindric, smaller towards the base. Petals 

 furnished with the usual appendages at the orifice: limb 

 about half an inch long, almost like that of Lychnis Flos 

 cuculi, dilated, and pilose on the margin, cleft distinctly 

 about half way down, each of the segments again subu- 

 lately divided, besides these there are also 2 other exter- 

 nal subulate segments originating towards the base. Cap- 

 sule conspicuously stipitate. 



7- * Baldivynii. Flowers very large and rosaceous tri- 

 chotomal; petals divaricately laciniate, stem, calix and 

 sublanceolate leaves pilose, v.s. In herb. Baldwyn. Hab. 

 On the banks of Flint river, Florida.—Dr. Baldwyn. Ve- 



