Vor. II.] PINK FAMILY. 25 
1r. CERASTIUM L. Spy Ple43 7a 0 1753: 
Annual or perennial, generally pubescent or hirsute herbs, with terminal dichotomous 
cymes of white flowers. Sepals 5, rarely 4. Petals of the same number, emarginate or bifid 
(rarely wanting). Stamens ro, rarely fewer. Styles equal in number to the sepals and op- 
posite them, or in some species fewer. Capsule cylindric, 1-celled, many-ovuled, often 
curved, dehiscent by ro, rarely 8, apical teeth. Seeds rough, more or less flattened, attached 
by their edges. [Greek, horny, referring to the horn-like capsule of many species. ] 
About 50 species, of wide geographic distribution, most abundant in the temperate zones. 
Petals equalling the sepals, or shorter. 
Pedicels not longer than the sepals; flowers glomerate. 1. C. viscosum. 
Pedicels at length longer than the sepals; flowers cymose. 
Leaves 2'’-4'' long; capsule nearly straight. : 
Leaves 4''-12'’ long; capsule curved upward. 3 
Petals manifestly longer than the sepals (rarely wanting). 
Annuals, viscid-pubescent; flowers 2'’-3'’ broad. 
semtdecandrum., 
vulgatum. 
tN 
Gyr 
Pedicels much longer than the calyx. 4. C. longipedunculatum. 
Pedicels shorter than or but little exceeding the calyx. 5. C. brachypodum. 
Perennials, glabrous or pubescent; flowers 6'’-10'’ broad. 
Styles always 5. 
Leaves linear or lanceolate-oblong, mainly acute. 6. C. arvense. 
Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse. 7. C. alpinum. 
Styles 3 (very rarely 4 or 5); leaves linear-oblong. 8. C. cerastioides. 
w y 
1. Cerastium viscOsum ],. Mouse-ear 
Chickweed. (Fig. 1484.) 
prs 
Wis 
a BS 
Cerastium viscosum U,. Sp. Pl. 437-1753. 
Cerastium glomeratum Thuill. Fl. Paris, Ed. 2, 
226. 1824. 
Annual, tufted, stems ascending or spreading, 
densely viscid-pubescent, 4’-12’ long. Leaves 
ovate or obovate, or the lower spatulate, 4//-12/’ 
long, 3/’-7’’ wide, obtuse; bracts small, herba- 
ceous; flowers about 2//-3’’ broad, in glomerate 
cymes, becoming paniculate in fruit; pedicels 
shorter than or equalling the acute sepals; 
petals shorter than the calyx, 2-cleft. 
In waste places and meadows, New Brunswick 
and Ontario, south to Florida and Mexico. Natu- 
ralized from Europe, but notvery common. Natu- 
ralized also in the West Indies, Central America, é 
and on the Pacific Coast. April-July. 4 y abs 
2. Cerastium semidecandrum [,. Small or 
Five-stamened Mouse-ear Chickweed. 
(Fig. 1485.) 
Cerastium semidecandrum I, Sp. Pl. 438. 1753. 
Cerastium vulgaltum var. semidecandrum A, Gray, Man. 
Ed. 5,94. 1867. 
Low, tufted, erect or decumbent, annual, 2/-6’ high, 
finely viscid-pubescent. Leaves ovate, or the lower 
spatulate, 2’’-4’’ long, obtuse; bracts scarious, mem- 
branous; inflorescence cymose; pedicels at length 
longer than the calyx; flowers 1//-t%’’ broad; sepals 
lanceolate, acute, scarious-margined, slightly exceed- 
ing the emarginate petals; capsule narrow, nearly 
straight; stamens often 5. 
In dry, sterile soil, New Jersey to Virginia. Naturalized 
from Europe. Called also Spring Mouse-ear. April-May. 
