186 



XXIII. CARYOPHYLLACE^. 



1. S. ARVENSis. Cm-n Spurry. 



Lis. verticillate, linear-subulate ; sta. 10 ; sty. 5 ; ped. reflexed in fruit ; 

 sds. reniform, angular, rough. — A common weed in cultivated grounds, Can. to 

 Ga. Root small. Stem round, branched, with swelling joints, beset with 

 copious whorled leaves, i^omewhat downv and viscid. Two minute stipules 

 under each whorl. Cyme forked, the terminal (central) peduncles bending 

 dowTi as the iruit ripens. Petals white, longer than the cah'x, capsule twice 

 as long. Seeds many, with a membranous margin. May — Aug. ^ 



2. S. RUBRA. T. & G. (Arenaria rubra. Linn.) 



St. decumbent, much branched ; Ivs. linear, slightly mucronate ; stipules 

 ovate, membranous, cleft ; scp. lanceolate, with scarious margins ; pet. red or 

 rose-color ; sty. 3 ; sds. compressed, angular, roughish. — A common and varia- 

 ble species, Ibund in sandy fields ! Can. to Flor. &c. Stems a few inches in 

 length, slender, smooth, spreading on the ground, with small, narrow leaves 

 and dry, sheathing stipules. Flowers small, on hairy stalks. May — Oct. 



Order XXIII. CARYOPHYLLACE^.— Cloveworts. 



Herbs, with the stems swelling at the nodes. 



Lvs. opposite, entire, destitute of stipules. FIs. regular. 



Ca^.— Sepals 4—5, distinct, or cohering in a tube, persi.stent. 



Cor.— Petals 4—5, (sometimes none) either unguiculate and inserted upon the pedicel of the ovary, or 



without claws and inserted on the outside of a fleshy disk. 

 Sta. twice as many as the petals, rarely equal or iew ; anthers introrse. 

 Ova. often stipitate. Sti/les stigmatose the whole length of their inner surface. 

 Fr. a 1-celled capsule or imperfectly 2— 3-celled, opening at the apex by twice as many teeth as there are 



stigmas. Seeds numerous. 



Genera 53. species 1055. Eleven of the genera are North American, the remainder are found in the 

 temperate and frigid climates of the Eastern Continent. Properties unimportant. The order is noticeable 

 chiefly for the beauty of a few of the cultivated species. 



FIG. 41.— 1. Lychnis diuma. 2. Vertical section, e.xposing the 5 styles, the placenta and seeds of the 

 1-cellcd capsule. 3. A petal, with its long claw, its bifid lamina, and its 2-tootbed crown. 4. Cross sec- 

 tion of the flower, showing the arrangement of its parts. 5. Arenaria stricta, showing the spreading 

 cyme. 6. A flower enlarged— calyx not tubular. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



5 Sepals partly united Adenarium. 



1 entire. ? Sepals entirely distinct. 

 ' bifid. 



'not 

 tubular. 



Calyx 



J Petals 5, 

 Styles 3. > Petals 0. 



Styles 4. Petals 4—5 or 0, entire 



Slyles 5. Petals 5. bifid 



< Calyx calyrulate with 2— 4 scales at base 



Styles 2. I Calyx without scales at the base. Saponaria. 



Styles 3 Silene. 



{ tubular. ( Styles 5 Lychnis. 



Arenaria. 



Stellaria. 



Mollugo. 



Sagina. 



Cerastiitm. 



Dianthits. 



