Silene—continued. 
protuberances, June and July. J. roundish-obovate ; lower 
ones on long footstalks; uppermost ones sessile. 4. 6in. to 
l2in. Stem branched, pubescent, Levant, 1781. Annual. 
S. chlorzefolia (Chlora-leaved). fl. white, turning reddish as 
they fade, large, in a terminal panicle ; calyx long, striped ; petals 
cloven half-way down, with a two-lobed crest. August and 
September. J. elliptical, pointed; upper ones rather cordate. 
Stems branched, A. lft. to 2ft. Armenia, 1796. A smooth 
perennial. (B. M. 807; B. R. 1989; S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 263.) 
S. compacta (compact). fl. pink, crowded into dense corymbs ; 
calyx very long, clavate; petals oboval, entire, crowned; bracts 
narrow, shorter than the pedicels. July. J. ovate-cordate, 
sessile; two large ones, like an involucre, near the corymb, 
appearing us if they were connate. Stem erect, branched. 
h. 14ft. Russia, 1823. A glabrous,; glaucous biennial. See Fig. 
484. (L. B. C. 1638; S. B. F. G. 64.) 
S. Elizabethæ (Elizabethan).* fi. 14in. in diameter; cal. x mar- 
gined with purple; petals bright rose-colour, the claws white 
below, the blade cuneate-flabellate, emarginate; panicle ter- 
minal, dichotomous. July. J. lanceolate, acute, spreading; 
lower ones 2in. to 3ih. long, becoming gradually smaller upwards. 
Stems tufted, erect or ascending, and, :s well as the leaves, 
viscid-pubescent: h. Qin. or more. Italy, 1863. Perennial. 
(B. M. 5400; R. G. 1009, 2.) 
S. fimbriata (fringed-petaled). fl. white, in large, spreading 
panicles ; calyx greatly inflated, with broad teeth ; petals fringed, 
incurved after flowering. May to August. l. large, ovate- 
lanceolate, undulated, on long footstalks. h. 2ft. to 4ft. Cau- 
casus, 1803. A pubescent perennial. (B. M. 908.) 
S. gallica (French). A variety of S. anglica. 
S. Hookeri (Hooker’s).* /i. 2in. to 24in. in diameter, solitary in 
the axils, or sometimes obscurely cymose ; calyx lin. long; petals 
pale pink, 2in. long, the lobes very variable, narrow or broad, 
equal, or the outer ones smaller or reduced to teeth, the two 
parallel white ridges on the claw terminating in white teeth at 
the blade. May. J. 2in. to Sin. long ; lower ones elliptic-spathu- 
late, narrowed into long petioles; the rest elliptic-lanceolate, 
acute or acuminate; all pubescent. Stems many, decumbent. 
California, 1873. Perennial. (B. M. 6051; F. d. S. 2093. 
S. inflata (swollen). Bladder Campion or Catchfly ; Cow Bell ; 
White Ben. f. white, fin. in diameter, drooping; petals deeply 
cloven; panicle many-flowered. June to August. fr., cap- 
sule globose. 7. lin. to 3in. long, variable, ovate, obovate, or 
oblong. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Europe (Britain), &c. A branched, 
glaucous, glabrous, or downy perennial. This species may be 
used as a substitute for as) us or 
shoots having the flavour of both. (Sy. En. B. 199.) pu 
is a rarer form, with downy leaves. 
S. lacera roii 9 soe ot white ; calyx much inflated; petals 
jagged, with the appendages two-parted. May to August. J. 
ovate-lanceolate, undulated, on long footstalks. Caucasus, 1818. 
A procumbent, hispid biennial. (B. M. 2255.) 
S. laciniata (jagged-petaled). fl. crimson, with a white, two- 
parted crest, very Jarge, terminal, rather drooping ; calyx cylin- 
drically ventricose ; petals somewhat four-cleft ; peduncles one- 
flowered. June and July. l. large, lanceolate, acute. Stem 
erect, branched. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Mexico and California, 1&23. 
A half-hardy, pubescent perennial. (B. R. 1444; P. M. B. 267.) 
S. livida (livid). (fl. livid-green on the under surface, white 
above, panicled, drooping to one side; petals two-cleft, crowned. 
June and July. l. oblong-lanceolate. Stem flexuous, infracted. 
h. lft. Carniola, 1816. A pubescent perennial. i 
S. maritima (maritime).* #. white; petals shortly cleft, the 
segments broad, with two scales at the base. June to August. 
Europe (Britain), A diffuse perennial. Otherwise resemblin 
S. inflata. (Sy. En. B. 200.) flore-pleno is a garden form, wit 
double flowers. 
S, noctiflora (night-flowering). (fl. erect, few; calyx narrow, 
lin. long ; petals rosy within, yellow outside, two-cleft. July and 
August. l. 3in. to 4in. long, oblong-lanceolate, acute, the lower 
ones petioled, k. lft. to 2ft. Europe (Britain), &c. An erect, 
simple or dichotomous, softly pubescent annual, viscid above. 
203°) flowers open at night, and are very fiagrant. (Sy. En. B. 
S. nutans (nodding). Nottingham Catchfly. z- white or pink, 
in panicled or sub-racemose cymes, drooping, fragrant at night; 
calyx purple-nerved, with acute teeth; petals two-parted, the 
segments diverging. May to July. L, radical ones oblong- 
lanceolate, 2in. to din. long, tufted, petioled ; cauline ones small, 
narrow, sessile, Stem viscid above. k. 2ft. to ft. — 
(Britain), &c. A pubescent perennial, with a woody rootstock. 
(Sy. En. B. 207.) Syn. S. paradoza. 
S. ornata (ornamented). /. dark purple, panicled; calyx cylin- 
drical, with alternate stripes and veins ; petals two-parted, with 
broad, crowned lobes. May to September.  /. lanceolate, rather 
blunt. Stems erect, branched. h. 2ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1775. 
‘A pubescent, greenhouse biennial. (B. M. 382.) 
S. paradoxa (paradoxical). A synonym of S. nutans. 
S. pendula (pendulous-flowered).* jl. flesh-coloured, axillary, 
pendulous; calyx inflated; petals bifid, crowned. May to 
Vol. II. 
en peas, the icin 
AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 433 
Silene—continued. 
August. J. ovate-lanceolate. Italy, &c., 1731. A pubescent, 
branched, trailing annual. (B. M, 114.) 
S. p. enmpania (compact).* A very dwarf, compact variety, 
forming dense cushions, 2in. to 3in. high and Qin. to 12in. 3 
diameter, entirely covered with bright ag flowers, This 
is a charming plant, extensively used for spring bedding. 
(F. M. n. s. 84.) 
S. pennsylvanica (Pennsylvanian),* American Wild Pink. 
f. pink, clustered, short-stalked; calyx club-shaped ; petals 
cuneiform, slightly notched and erose. April to June. Z., radical 
ones narrowly spathulate, nearly glabrous, tapering into hairy 
petioles ; cauline ones two or three Yaa lanceolate: Stems 4in. 
to 8in. high. North America, 1 A pubescent perennial. 
(B. R. 247; L. B. C. 41.) 
. picta (painted). fi. pink, loosely panicled; calyx clavate, 
striped with red ; petals reticulated with red nerves and veins. 
June to August. l., lower ones obovate-spathulate ; upper ones 
linear, acute, Stems much-branched, scarcely pubescent. A. lft. 
to 2ft. Asia Minor and Syria, 1817. A beautiful, Rush-like 
annual. (S. B. F. G. 92.) 
S. quinquevulnera (five-spotted). A variety of S. anglica. 
S. Royal Catchfly. f. deep scarlet, numerous, short- 
stalked, in clusters, forming a strict panicle ; petals spathulate- 
lanceolate, mostly undivided. July. J. rather thick, ovate- 
lanceolate, acute. Stem roughish, erect, 3ft. to 4ft. high. 
Southern United States, 1811. A pubescent perennial. (B. M. 
1724; S$. B. F. G. ser. ii. 313.) , 
S. Saxifraga (Saxifrage).* fl. terminal, solitary, rarely axillary ; 
calyx clavate ; petals yellowish on the upper surface, reddish- 
brown beneath ; peduncles very long. June to August. J. linear, 
acute. h. Sin. to 6in. South Europe, &c., 1640. A smooth, rather 
viscid, tufted perennial. (L. B. C. 454.) 
S. Schafta (Schafta).* a purple, erect ; calyx more than lin. long, 
clavate ; petals cuneate, denticulate; peduncles bearing one or 
two flowers. June to October. l. obovate, acute. Stems many, 
very simple, yee root woody. A. not more than 6in 
Persia, 1844. A beautiful little perennial ; the branches gradu- 
re become covered with blossoms. (B. R. 1846, 20; J. H. S. 
i, 69.) 
S. s osa (showy). f. scarlet, axillary or terminal, paniculate ; 
calyx elongated-tubular, villous; petals five, oblong, spreading, 
four patter the middle segments much longer, the lateral ones 
reduced to teeth. June. l. opposite, sessile, lanceolate, somewhat 
obtuse. h, 1ft. 1843. A villous, greenhouse perennial ; probably 
a hybrid. (F. d. S. ii, 8; P. M. B. x. 219.) ; 
S. supina (supine). fl. white, on short, alternate pedicels; calyx 
long, cylindrically clavate, tomentose ; petals with long claws, 
bifid, crowned. June to August. l, linear, — Stems woody, 
procumbent, branched. Caucasus, ` tufted, clammy- 
pubescent perennial. (B. M. 1997.) 
S. vespertina (evening). f. ene in secund racemes ; 
calyx bladdery-clavate ; poan two- the lobes obtuse, 
June and July. Zł. spathulate, acute, on ciliated petioles. Stems 
branched, dii or decumbent. A. lft. Greece, &c., 1796. A 
beautiful, eect annual. (B. M. 677; S B. F. G. 58; 
8S. F. G. .) 
el 2 ches Virginian).* Fire Pink. deep crimson, few, and 
1 san A hg s peduncled ; calyx ob ong-eylindrical,’ soon ob- 
to 2ft. high. North America, 
(B. M. 3342; R. G. 1116.) 
SILENOPSIS. Included under Lychnis. 
SILICA. A very abundant mineral in the soil, both 
in the pure state, and in combination with various ele- 
ments forming Silicates. Pure Silica is made up of 
the two elements Silicon, or Silicium, and Oxygen, in the 
proportion of twenty-eight parts, by weight, of the former 
to thirty-two of the latter. It occurs in several condi- 
tions, of which the most frequent are quartz and flint, — 
and the less common rock-crystal and caleedony. Ame- 
thyst and cornelian are forms of Silica, tinged red with 
iron oxides. Silica, in the form of quartz, is the chief 
ingredient of all sands and sandstones, as well as of 
granites and other minerals of the same general structure ; 
and veins or masses of pure quartz of considerable size 
also exist. But almost more plentiful than Silica are’ 
t 
the Silicates, chiefly of Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and_ 
Magnesium. These are familiar to everyone as clay, mica, 
felspar, and other substances that make up the mass of 
most soils. 
Silica is not soluble in pure water; but a little Car- 
bonic Acid gas, dissolved in the water, permits of a little 
Silica being dissolved; and almost all water that gains 
3K 
