CLASS X. ORDER III.3 STELLARIA. 643 



drical, as long or rather longer than the calyx, bursting to the middle 

 or lower into six narrow valves. Seeds numerous, attached to a short 

 central receptacle, dark dull brown, rough, with lines of elevated 

 points. 



Habitat. — Waste and cultivated places, everywhere. 



Annual ; flowering nearly the whole year. 



This is an extremely common and variable plant in size and 

 luxuriance. The seeds, as well as the leaves, are the favourite food of 

 many small birds and poultry ; and the plant, when boiled, forms a 

 good vegetable not unlike spinach. 



Sect. 4. Stellaria. Koch in Flora Germ, et Helv. Capsule 

 separating to the middle or below into six valves ; columella very 

 short ; stem angular. 



4. S. holo^stea^ Linn. (Fig. 732.) Greater Stitchwort. Stem 

 nearly angular, rough; leaves sessile, lanceolate, with a long acu- 

 minated point, rough on the margins and keel ; panicle forked ; 

 bractea herbaceous ; petals deeply bifid, as long again as the nerveless 

 segments of the calyx. 



English Botany, t. 511. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 301. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 207. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 52. 



Root small, fibrous. Stem slender and procumbent at the base, 

 becoming erect and stouter, angular, from one to two feet high, rough 

 on the angles, leafy, mostly simple, branched above in repeatedly 

 forked panicles. Leaves opposite, sessile, from one to three inches 

 long, of a somewhat glaucous green, narrow, lanceolate, with a long 

 slender tapering point, having a single rib, rough, like the edges, with 

 fine cartilaginous teeth. Flowers mostly numerous, large, and hand- 

 some, pure white, on long slender rough peduncles, erect in flower, 

 drooping when in fruit. Calyx of five ovale lanceolate segments, with 

 narrow membranous margins, roughish, and without ribs. Petals as 

 long again as the calyx, deeply bifid. Stamens with slender filaments 

 and ovate anthers, of a yellow colour. Styles simple, with downy 

 spreading stigmas. Capsules globular, opening to below the middle, 

 with six valves. Seeds brown, kidney-shaped, not very numerous. 



Habitat. — Woods, hedges, and thickets ; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in May. 



In damp shady situations this species is often more than two feet 

 high, supporting itself upon other plants by the roughness of its leaves 

 and stems, and its numerous large white flowers render it a very orna- 

 mental spring decoration. In some parts of the country it is commonly 

 called Cuckoo-flower, from its being one of the most conspicuous 

 flowers in the fields and groves, when the welcome notes of the Cuckoo 

 are first heard. 



5. S. glau'ca. Withering. (Fig. 733.) Glaucous Marsh Stitchwort, 

 Smooth ; stem nearly erect, square ; leaves linear, lanceolate, acute. 



