26 CARYOPHYLLACEAE. [Vor. I. 
3. Cerastium vulgatum L. Larger 
Mouse-ear Chickweed. (Fig. 1486.) 
Cerastium vulgatum 1,. Sp. Pl. Ed. 2, 627. 1762. 
Cerastium triviale Link, Enum. Hort. Ber. 1: 433. 
1821. 
Cerastium viscosum of Linnaeus Herb. and of many 
recent authors. 
Biennial or perennial, viscid-pubescent, tufted, 
erect or ascending, 6’-18’ long. ower and basal 
leaves spatulate-oblong, obtuse; upper leaves 
oblong, 6’/-12’’ long, 3/’-5’’ wide, acute or ob- 
tuse; bracts scarious-margined; inflorescence cy- 
mose, loose, the pedicels at length much longer 
than the calyx; sepals obtuse or acute, about 
equalling the 2-cleft petals, 2’’-3’’ long; capsule 
curved upward. 
In fields and woods, common throughout our area 
and probably indigenous high northward, though 
certainly in large part naturalized from Europe. 
Often a troublesome weed. Occurs also in the South- 
ern and Western States, and is native in northern 
Asia. May-Sept. 
4. Cerastium longipedunculatum Muhl. Nodding Chickweed. Powder-horn. 
(Fig. 1487.) 9 
C. longipedunculaium Muh. Cat. 46. 1813. 
Cerastium nutans Raf. Prec. Decouv. 36. 1814. 
Annual, bright green, stem weak, reclining 
or ascending, diffusely branched, 6’—24’ long, 
striate, finely clammy-pubescent to glabrate. 
Lower and basal leaves spatulate, obtuse, 
petioled, 14’-1’ long, those of the middle part 
of the stem lanceolate or oblong, 1/-2’ long, 
3/’-4’’ wide, the upper similar, acute, sessile, 
gradually smaller; inflorescence loosely cy- 
mose; pedicels slender, in fruit several times 
the length of the calyx; flowers 2’’-3’” broad; 
sepals lanceolate, obtuse or acutish, about 
one-half the length of the 2-cleft petals; pods 
nodding, 5’’-9’’ long, curved upward, much 
exceeding the calyx. 
In moist, shaded places, Nova Scotiaand Hud- 
son Bay to North Carolina, west to British Co- 
lumbia, Nevada and northern Mexico. The 
plant sometimes produces capsules from appar- 
ently apetalous flowers. Ascends to 2200 ft. in 
Pennsylvania. April-June. 
5. Cerastium brachypodum (Engelm.) Robinson. Short-stalked Chickweed. 
(Fig. 1488.) 
Cerastium nutans var. brachypodum Engelm.; A. 
Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 94. 1867. 
Cerastium brachypodum Robinson; Britton, Mem. 
Torr. Club, 5: 150. 1894. 
Annual, light green, viscid-pubescent or pu- 
berulent all over, stems simple or sparingly 
branched, tufted, erect, 3/-10’ tall. Lower and 
basal leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, obtuse 
or subacute at the apex, 3/’-12’’ long, narrowed 
into short petioles, the upper linear or linear-ob- 
long, acute, sessile, sometimes erect-appressed; 
cymes terminal, few-several-flowered; flowers 
about 2’’ broad; fruiting pedicels, or some of 
them, deflexed, not more than twice as long as 
the calyx; capsules straight or slightly curved 
upward, 2-3 times as long as the calyx. 
In dry soil, southwestern Illinois and Missouri to 
Nebraska, South Dakota and Colorado, south to 
Texas, Arizona and Mexico, March-July. 
