660 CERASTIUM. [CLASS X. ORDER IV. 



inches high, more or less branched in a forked manner, with a solitary 

 flower from the axis. Leaves opposite, roundish, ovate or oblong, the 

 upper ones sessile, the lower tapering into a footstalk, and clothed with 

 soft slender spreading hairs, the margins entire, having a mid-rib, 

 broad at the base. Flowers numerous, in terminal sub- umbellate 

 heads, each elevated on a downy pedicle, about the length of the calyx. 

 Braclea small, leafy. Calyx of five lanceolate segments, clothed with 

 hairs, each with a narrow pale membranous margin, rather broader on 

 the inner ones. Petals white, about as long as the calyx, cloven half 

 way down. Stamens with slender ^/aiwewis, and small roundish yellow 

 anthers, of two cells. Styles short, with downy stigmas. Capsule 

 cylindrical, as long again as the calyx, slightly curved upwards, 

 striated with ten slender ribs, terminating between ten lanceolate erect 

 teeth, with the margins rolled back. Seeds numerous, very small, 

 pale, yellowish brown, kidney-shaped, roughish, with elevated points 

 on the outer edges. 



Habitat, — Fields, pastures gardens, road sides, &c. ; frequent. 



Annual; flowering from April to June. 



This is a very common and very variable plant. It is sometimes 

 scarcely branched, except at the top, but not unfrequently also it is 

 branched from the base, and has either a solitary flower from each 

 axis or is without it ; the leaves are more or less roundish, ovate or 

 oblong, with an acute or obtuse point, and the whole plant is clothed 

 with spreading simple or glandular hairs, or sometimes nearly smooth, 

 and the upper part of the stem is sometimes viscid, from the hairs 

 being tipped with small glands, but more frequently it is not so, but 

 simply hairy. 



2. C. visco'sum, Linn. (Fig. 740.) Narrow-leaved Mouse-ear Chick- 

 weed. Stem nearly erect, hairy, viscid ; leaves oblong, lanceolate, or 

 ovate, the lower ones narrowed into a footstalk; panicle branched, 

 sub-umbellate; bractea with a membranous margin; calyx oblong, 

 with a smooth membranous margin, half as long as the pedicles; 

 petals about as long as the calyx ; capsule curved upwards, nearly as 

 long again as the calyx. 



English Botany, t. 790. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 331. —Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 215. -Lindley, Synopsis, p. 51.— C. Triviale, 

 Link.—Koch. Flora Germ, et Helvet, p. 122. 



Root fibrous. Stem shortly procumbent at the base, becoming 

 erect, from three to six or eight inches high, mostly much branched 

 below, simple upwards, round, leafy, especially at the base it is much 

 crowded, more or less thickly clothed with hairs, which are simple or 

 glandular, and often viscid in the upper part of the stem. Leaves 

 opposite, oblong lanceolate, or oblong ovate, sessile, the lower ones 

 tapering into a footstalk, each with a keeled mid-rib. Panicle terminal, 

 in forked branches, bearing sub-umbellate clusters of numerous 

 flowers, each elevated on a downy pedicle, about as long again as 



