CARYOPHYLLACE^. 64 CERASTIUM. 



5. MOLL U' GO. 



Calyx of 5 sepals, inferior, united at tlie hase ; corolla 0; 

 capsule 3-celled, S-valved, manj-seeded. Stanaens 5, some- 

 times 3 or 10. 



The old Lat. name of a plant which this somewhat resembles. The interior 

 of the sepals colored. Fil. setaceous, shorter than, and opposite to the sepals, 

 placed very near the pistils. A nth. simple. Seeds reniform. 



M. VERTICILLA'TA. 



Leaves verticillate, cuneiform, acute; stem depressed, branched; peduncles 

 1 -flowered. A small prostrate plant, common in cultivated grounds. Stems 

 slender, jointed, branched, lying fiat upon the ground. At every joint stands 

 a whorl of wedge-shaped or spalhulate leaves of unequal size, usually 5 in 

 number, and a few flowers, each on a solitary stalk, which is very slender, and 

 shorter than the petioles. Flowers small, white. Jl. — Sept. Ann. 



Carpet-weed. 



6. CERA'STIUM. 



Calyx of 5 sepals; petals 5, bitid ; stamens 10; capsule 1- 

 celled, superior, 10-toothed; seeds numerous. 



Gr. y-iQui, a horn ; from the horned appearance of the capsules of many 

 of the species. Sep. ovate, acute, permanent. Pet. length of Sep. Fil. gen- 

 erally 10, sometimes 5 or 4, the alternate ones shorter. Anth. 2-lobed. Stig. 

 down}'. 



1. C. VULGA'tUM. (Broad-leaved.) 



Hairy, pale green, viscid, caespitose ; leaves ovate, alternate at base ; petals 

 the lengti) of the calyx ; jiowcrs longer than their pedicels when young. 

 Steins numerous, spreading, forked, 4—0 inches long. Leaves ovate or obo- 

 vate. Capsule twice as long as the calyx, cylindric. Flowers from the forks 

 of the stems, the lowest always the oldest, forming diffuse cymes. Common 

 infields and waste grounds, flowering all summer. Ann. J\louse-ear C/iickwecd. 



2. C. VISCO'SUM. L. (jXarrom-Icavcd.) /3. semidecandum. L. 



Hairy, viscid, spreading ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, shorter than their stalks ; 

 Jloiccrs in loose cymes. Stems numerous, 4 — 8 inches long. The whole plant 

 dark green, hairy and clammy. Petals obovate, white. Fields and waste 

 grounds. Common. Jn. — Aug. Sticky Chickwced. 



3. C. arve'nse. 



Le«!>cs sub-acute, linear-lanceolate, ciliate at base; petals twice as long as 

 the caly.x ; capsule scarcely exceeding the calyx. Stems numerous, about a 

 foot high, covered with fine, deflected hairs. Leaves hairy. Flowers few, 

 large, white, appearing all summer. Grows in dry fields. Per. 



4. C. OBLONGIFO'HU.-W. Torr. C. villosum. ML 



Siems villous, erector declined; leaves mos,i\y obtuse, oblonsr-lanceolate ; 

 jloiccrs numerous, with viscid peduncles; petals twice as long as the sepals; 

 ciip.iulc as long as the petals. Flowers in forked cymes, rather large, white. 

 Grows in rocky places. Stem 6-^10 inches high, thick. Apr. — Jn. Per. 



HAtry Chkkweed, 



