WILD FLOWERS OF NEW YORK 95 



Chick'weed Family 



Alsinaceae 

 Field or Meadow Chickweed 



Cerastium arvense Linnaeus 



Plate 63a 



A densely matted or tufted perennial plant, usually more or less 

 pubescent. Flowering stems 4 to lo inches high, simple or sparingly 

 branched. Lower leaves and those of the numerous sterile shoots linear- 

 oblong, close together, slightly narrowed at the base. Leaves of the 

 flowering stems more distant, linear or narrowly lanceolate, one-half to 

 i^ inches long, one-eighth of an inch wide or slightly wider. Flowers white, 

 one-half to three-fourths of an inch broad, several in a cymose inflorescence. 

 Petals five, obcordate or deeply notched at the ends, much longer than the 

 lanceolate, acute sepals. Fruit a small, cylindrical capsule, a little longer 

 than the sepals and slightly oblique at its apex. 



In dry, rocky places, stony fields or ledges, Labrador to Alaska, south 

 to Georgia, Missouri, Nevada and California. Also found in Europe and 

 Asia. Flowering from April to July. In New York usually in bloom 

 during some part of May. 



This is a much larger flowered and more attractive plant than the 

 Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium vulgatum Linnaeus), which is 

 natviralized almost everywhere, especially in the stony or rocky places 

 where the Field Chickweed is found. 



Pink Family 



Caryophyllaceae 

 Bladder Campion; White Ben 



Sileue latifolia (Miller) Britten & Rendel 



Plate 52 



Stems herbaceous, from a perennial root, glaucous and glabrous, or 

 rarely pubescent, extensively branching from the base, 6 to 20 inches high. 



