CHAP. I.] LINACE.E. 293 



Bladder Campion (S. hiflatd)^ has been used as 

 food, and its young shoots, when boiled and 

 sent to table like Asparagus, are said to have 

 the flavour of green peas. The different species 

 of Lychnis and Agrostemma resemble Silene 

 closely in every respect, except in the styles, 

 which are five, instead of three ; these two 

 genera, Viscaria, and Githago, differ very 

 slightly from each other ; and several of the 

 species are known by different names : thus 

 Ragged Robin {Lychnis jios cuculi) is made by 

 some botanists an Agrostemma ; the Corn-cockle 

 is sometimes called Giihago segetum^ and some- 

 times Agrostemma Githago ; the common Rose 

 Campion is called sometimes Lychnis, and 

 sometimes Agrostemma; and the Rock Lychnis, 

 or Red German Catchfly, sometimes Lychnis 

 Viscaria^ and sometimes Viscaria vulgaris. 



ORDER XXVII.— LIXACE^.— THE FLAX TRIBE. 



The order Linacese is a very small one ; and, 

 indeed, it consists principally of the genus 

 Linum. The Flax was formerly included in the 

 Caryophyllacese, which it resembles in having 

 five petals, five sepals, and five stamens ; but it 

 also resembles the Mallow in its capsules, and 

 in its stamens growing together at the base ; 



