CARYOPHYLLACEAE. {Von. II. 
12. Silene noctiflora L. Night-flowering 
Catchfly. (Fig. 1451.) 
Silene noctiflora 1. Sp. Pl. 419. 1753. 
Annual, stout, viscid-pubescent, simple, or branching, 
1°-3° high. Lowerand basal leaves obovate or oblanceo- 
late, 2’-5’ long, obtuse, narrowed into a broad petiole; 
upper leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 
1/-3/ long; flowers few, pedicelled, white or pinkish, 8//— 
12’’ broad, in a loose dichotomous panicle; calyx 10//— 
15’ long, tubular, 1o-nerved and beautifully veined, 
much enlarged by the ripening pod, its teeth linear, 
acute; petals 2-cleft. 
In waste places, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Mani- 
toba, south to Florida and Missouri. Adventive from Europe. 
Flowers opening at dusk and remaining so until the morning 
of the next day, fragrant. July-Sept. 
13. Silene Anglica L. English or Small-flowered Catchfly. (Fig. 1452.) 
Silene Anglica I,. Sp. Pl. 416. 1753. 
Stlene Gallica ¥,. Sp. Pl. 417. 1753. 
Annual, hirsute-pubescent, stem slender, usually 
erect, simple or branched, 1°-2° high. Leaves spatu- 
late or oblanceolate, 6’’-2’ long, obtuse, sometimes 
mucronate, narrowed into a margined petiole, or the 
upper ones narrower and acute; flowers in a terminal 
simple 1-sided spicate raceme, nearly sessile or the 
lower ones distant and longer-pedicelled, sometimes 
all distinctly pedicelled; calyx cylindric or oblong- 
tubular in flower, 1o-nerved, villous, 4’/-5’’ long, 
much enlarged by the ripening pod and becoming 
ovoid with a contracted throat, its teeth lanceolate, 
spreading; petals toothed, entire or somewhat 2-cleft, 
white, somewhat longer than the calyx. 
In waste places, Maine to Ontario, south to southern 
New York and Pennsylvania. Adventive from Europe. 
Extensively naturalized as a weed on the Pacific Coast, 
and widely distributed in nearly all warm-temperate re- 
gions. Has been mistaken for.S. nocturnal, April-July. 
14. Silene dichotoma Ehrh. Forked 
Catchfly. (Fig. 1453.) 
Stlene dichotoma Ehrh. Beitr. '7: 143. 1792. 
Silene racemosa Otth in DC. Prodr. 1: 384. 1824. 
Anuual, erect, branching, pubescent, 1°-2° high. 
Lower and basal leaves lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2’— 
3’ long, acuminate or acute, tapering into a villous 
petiole; upper leaves sessile, lanceolate or linear; 
flowers white, sessile or very short-pedicelled, distant 
in forking 1-sided spikes; calyx cylindric, 6’’-8’’ long, 
hirsute, much enlarged by the ripening pod, its teeth 
ovate-lanceolate, acute; petals white, bifid, with a 
short obtuse crown. 
In fields and waste places, Maine to New Jersey and 
Pennsylvania. Also in California. Adventive from 
southern Europe. Summer. 
