CARYOPHYLLACE^. (PIXK FAMILY.) 43 



2. A. serpyllifolia, L. Dowuy ; stems erect or diffusely branched ; 

 leaves small, ovate, acute, the lowest uarrowed iuto a petiole ; flowers cymose ; 

 petals much shorter than the lanceolate acuminate sepals. — Waste places. 

 Introduced. April - May. (l) — Stems 6' - 12' long. Leaves i" long. 



7. STELLARIA, L. Chickweed, Stakavort. 



Sepals 4-5. Petals 4-5, 2-cleft, or 2-parted. Stamens 3-10. Styles 

 3 - 5, opposite the sepals. Capsule 1-celled, opening by twice as many valves 

 as there are styles, many-seeded. — Stems weak. Flowers white, on terminal 

 peduncles, becoming lateral in fruit. 



1. S. pubera, Michx. Perennial; stems erect or diffuse, forking, hairy 

 in lines; leaves oblong, acutish, narrowed at the base, sessile ; petals longer 

 than the sepals. — Kocky woods in the upper districts. April - May. — Stems 

 6' -12' high. Plowers showy. 



2. S. media, Smith. Annual ; stems prostrate, forking, pubescent in 

 lines ; leaves ovate or oblong, acute, the lower ones petioled ; petals shorter 

 than the sepals — Yards and gardens. March -April. Introduced. 



3. S. prostrata, Baldw. Smooth or nearly so ; stems forking, prostrate ; 

 leaves ovate, acute, all on slender petioles, the lower ones often cordate ; 

 petals twice as long as the .sepals ; seeds rough-edged. — Damp shades, 

 Georgia, Florida, and westward. March -April. (T) — Stems l°-2°long. 

 Petiole mostly longer than the limb. 



4. S. uniflora, Walt. Smooth ; stems erect from a prostrate base ; 

 leaves remote, narrow-linear, sessile; peduncles very long (2' -4'), erect; 

 petals obcordate twice as long as the calyx. — liiver swamps, East Florida to 

 North Carolina. May. (T) ? — Stems 6' - 12' high. Leaves 1' long. 



5. S. fontinalis, Robinson. Stems weak, diffuse (6'- 12' long) ; leaves 

 linear-spatulate or oblong, spreading ; peduncles axillary, longer than the 

 leaves ; flowers very small, mostly 4-androus ; petals none ; sepals 3-nerved, 

 acute. (Sagiua fontinalis, Short i^ Peters.) — Springy places, Tennessee {Dr. 

 Gattinger). April. 



8. CERASTIUM, L. Mouse-ear. 



Sepals 4-5. Petals 4-5, obcordate or 2-cleft. Stamens 1 0. Styles 4-5. 

 Capsule cylindrical, 8 - 10-toothed, many-seeded. — Herbs. Flowers white, 

 solitary or cymose, peduncled. 



* Petals not longer than the sepals. 



1. C. Viscosum, L. Villous and somewhat clammy ; stems a.scendiug ; 

 leaves oval, remote, the lowest obovate; cymes crowded in the bud, spreading 

 in fruit ; sepals lanceolate, acute, as long as the peduncles, and half as long as 

 the slender capsule. — Fields. April - May. (T) — Stems 6' - 12' high. 



2. C. VUlgatum, L. Hairy and clammy; stems ascending; leaves 

 lance-oblong, obtuse, the lowest wedge-shaped ; cymes loose in tlie bud ; 

 sepals oblong-ovate, obtuse, shorter than the peduncles. — Fields. April - 

 May. ^ — Flowers and capsules larger than in No. 1. 



