NAT. ORDER. 



CaryojilujllacccE. 



DIANTHUS CARYOPHYLLUS. ^^ JFuNAT^JAmK. 



Class X. Decandria. Order II. Digynia. 



Gen. Char. Caly.v cylindric, one-leaved, with four scales at the base. 

 Petals five, with claws. Cajjsules cylindric, one-celled. 



Spe. Char. Caly cine-scales cylindric, very short. Petals crenate. 



The j-oot is perennial, firm, divided, and beset with numerous 

 fibres ; the stems are slender, smooth, branched, upright, jointed, of a 

 glaucous, or sea-green color, and rise from one to two feet in height ; 

 the haves upon the stem are short, linear, and placed in pairs at the 

 joints ; those of the young shoots are numerous, narrow, pointed, 

 smooth, entire, and of the same color as the stalk ; the Jlowcrs stand 

 single at the extremities of the branches, and are of a deep crimson 

 color ; the caly.v is tubular, cylindrical, divided at the mouth into five 

 segments, and surrounded at the base with four oval pointed squami- 

 form scales ; the corolla consists of five petals, which at the limb are 

 roundish, patent, scolloped, fringed, and attached to the common re- 

 ceptacle by long narrow claws ; the Jilamcnts are ten, longer than the 

 calyx, tapering, spreading towards the top, and furnished with oblong 

 compressed anthers ; the gcrmen is oval ; the styles are two, slender, 

 longer than the filaments, and their stigma turned or curled outwards ; 

 the capsule is cylindrical, and contains many small roundish seeds. 



This fragrant and beautiful plant is said to be a native of Italy, 

 but is now cultivated by the florists in most parts of the civilized 



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