190 XXIIl. CARYOPHYLLACEiE. Silene. 



Stems numerous, filiform, 2 — 4' high. Sepals acute, shorter than the capsule. 

 May Jn. 



6. M O L L G O. 

 Calyx of 5 sepals, inferior, united at base, colored inside ; corolla 

 0; stamens 5, sometimes 3 or 10; filaments setaceous, shorter than, 

 and opposite to the sepals ; anthers simple ; capsule 3-celled, 3-Yalved, 

 many-seeded ; seeds reniform. — Lvs. at length apparently verticillaie, 

 each u'horl consisting of \ or 2 large^ substipulate leaves^ with several 

 axillary^ smaller ones. 



M. VERTiciLLATA. Carpet-wced. 



Lvs. cuneiform, acute ; st. depressed, branched ; pedicels 1-flowered, sub- 

 umbellate ; sta. mostly but 3. — ® A small, prostrate plant, in dry places through- 

 out N, Am. Stems slender, jointed, branched, lying flat upon the ground. At 

 every joint stands a whorl of wedge-shaped or spatulate leaves of unequal size, 

 usualh' five in number, and a few flowers, each on a solitary stalk which is 

 very slender and shorter than the petioles. Flowers small, wliite. Jl. — Sep. 



Tribe 2.— SILENE^. 



Sepals united into a cylindrical tube. Petals clawed, inserted with the stamens 

 upon the stipe of the ovary. 



7. SILENE. 

 Silenus was a drunken divinity of the Greeks , covered with slaver, as these plants are with a viscid secretion. 



Calyx tubular, swelling, without scales at base, 5-toothed : petals 5, 

 unguiculate, often crowned with scales at the mouth, 2-cleft ; stamens 

 10; styles 3 ; capsule 3-celled, many-seeded. 



* Calyx vesicular, inflated ; petals scarcely crowned. 



1. S. ACAULis. Sfemlcss Campion. 



Low and densely caespitose ; lvs. linear, ciliate at base ; ped. solitary, 

 short, 1-flowered; cal. campanulate, slightly inflated; pet. obcordate, crowned, 

 —% A little turfy plant, 1—3' high, on the White Mts., N. H., and throughout 

 Arctic Am. Stems scarcely any. Leaves numerous, |' long. Flowers purple, 



2. S. STELLATA. Ait. (Cucubalus stellatus. Limi.') Stellate Campion. 

 Erect, pubescent; lvs. in whorls of 4s, oval-lanceolate, acuminate; cal. 



loose and inflated; jM. fimbriate. — %. An elegant plant, woods and prairies, 

 Can. to Car., W. to 111. ! and Ark. Stem 2 — 3f high, paniculately cymose. Leaves 

 2 — 3' long, ^ as wide, tapering to a long point, sessile. Calyx pale-green, with 

 more deeply colored veins. Petals white, lacerately fringed, claws webbed 

 at base. Jl. 



3. S. NivEA. DC. (Cucubalus niveus. Nntf.) Srimcy Campio7i. 



Minutely puberulent, erect, simple or dichotomous above ; lvs. oblong- 

 lanceolate, acuminate ; fls. few, terminal ; cal. inflated, with short and obtuse 

 teeth ; pet. 2-cleft, with a small bifid crown ; caps, stiped, — % in moist places, 

 Penn., Ohio, near Cincinnati, (^Clark !) 111. Stem slender, leafy. 1^ — 3f high, 

 generally forked near the top. Leaves 2 — 3' by h — f ', tapering to a ver}' slender 

 point, floral ones lance-ovate. Flowers 1 — 3. "Calyx reticulated. Petals white. 



4. S. iNFLATA. Smith. (Cucubalus Behen. Linn.) Bladder Campion. 

 Glabrous and glaucous; lvs. ovate-lanceolate ; /.s-. in cymose panicles, 



drooping; cal. ovoid-globular, reticulated with veins. — 91 in pastures about 

 fences, Charlestown, Ms. ! &c. Stem erect, about 2f high. Leaves 1§ — 3' long, 

 i as wide, rather acuminate. Petals white, cleft hali-way down. Calyx re- 

 markably inflated, and reticulated with pale purple veins. Jl. — The young 

 shoots and leaves may be used as a substitute for asparagus, 

 ** Calyx not inflated. Petals croioned. 



5. S. AxTiRRHiNA. Snap-drns:on Catch-fly. 



Nearly smooth ; sf. erect; /7-.<^. lanceolate', acute, sub-ciliate; ;;gr/, trifid. 



