Giliirin. XXII CARYOPHYLLACEZ. 187 
Trize 1—ALSINEX. 
Sepals distinct or nearly so. Petals without claws inserted on the outsideof the 
disk. Stamens inserted on the margin of the disk. 
1 STELLARIA. 
Lat. stella, a star :—from the stellate or star like flowers. 
Sepals 5, connected at base; petals 5,2-parted; stamens 10, rarel 
fewer; styles 3, sometimes 4; capsule superior, 1-celled, avalvad 
many-seeded.—Small grass-like herbs, in moist, shady places. Fils. in 
forked cymes. 
1. S. mepra. Smith. (Alsine. Linn.) Chickweed. 
Lvs. ovate; st. procumbent, with an alternate, lateral, hairy line; sta. 
3—5 or 10.—A common weed in almost every situation N. of Mex., flowering 
from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn. Stems prostrate, branched, 
brittle, round, jointed, leafy, and remarkably distinguished by the hairy ridge 
extending from joint to joint, in an alternate manner. Flowers small, white. 
The seeds are eaten by poultry and the birds. § 
2. S. tonerrotia. Muhl. (S. graminea. Bw.) 
Tvs, linear, entire; cyme terminal, spreading, with lanceolate, scarious 
bracts; cal, 3-veined, about equal to the petals.—U. S., N. to Arc. Cire. The 
stems are of considerable length, very slender and brittle, supported on other 
plants and bushes. Leaves alternate at base. Flowers in a divaricate, naked 
Phas very elegant, white, appearing in 10 segments like the other species. 
hree acute, green veins singularly distinguish the sepals. Jn. Jl. 
3. S. pupErRA. Michx. 
St. decumbent, pubescent in one lateral or two opposite lines; Zvs. ob- 
long-oval, acute, sessile, somewhat ciliate; fs. on short, filiform, recurved pedi- 
cels.—2 In rocky places, Penn. and Ky. toGa. Stem 6—12’ long, often dif- 
fusely spreading. Leaves 1—2i’ by 4—10”, with minute, scattered hairs. 
yg 2’ diam., axillary and terminal, large, with 10 stamens and 3 styles. 
pr.—Jn. 
4, S. toncipes. Goldie. (S. palustris. Rich. Micropetalon. Pers.) 
Smooth and shining; st. more or less decumbent, with ascending 
branches ; Jvs. linear-lanceolate, broadest at base, acute; peduncles and pedicels 
filiform, cymose, with ovate, membranous bracts at base; sep. with membran- 
ous margins, obscurely 3-veined, scarcely shorter than the petals —2 Lake 
shores, N. Y.! and Mich. Petals white, 2-parted. Flowers in loose cymes, the 
terminal peduncle, or the middle one, the longest. Jn.—Aug. 
_ 5. S. Boreduis. Bigelow. (S. lanceolata. Torr. Micropetalon. Pers.) 
St. weak, smooth; dvs. veinless, broad-lanceolate, acute; ped. at length 
axillary, elongated, 1-flowered; pet. 2-parted Se wanting), about equal 
to the veinless sepals ——@ Wet places. N. H., N. Y., N. to Artic Am. Aspread- 
ing flaccid plant. Stem 6—12—15’ long, with diffuse cymes both terminal and 
axillary. Leaves 8—15" long, 1-veined. Petals when present white, small, at 
length about as long as the lanceolate, acute sepals. Capsules longer than the 
calyx. Jn. Jl. 
6. S. aquatica. Pollich. (8S. borealis. Dart. 
Nearly glabrous; sé. slender, decumbent; lvs. oblong, acute, with mani- 
fest veinlets ; sep. lanceolate, very acute, 3-veined, rather longer than the bifid 
petals; caps. ovoid, about equaling the calyx; sty.3.—2| Swampy springs, Penn. 
Dr. Darlington. Md. Dr. Robbins. Also Rocky Mts. A very slender plant, 
6—12’ long, with inconspicuous flowers. Leaves 6’ by 2—3". May. 
2, CERASTIUM. Linn. 
Gr. xspas, a hom; from the resemblance of the capsules of some of the species. 
Calyx of 5, ovate, acute sepals; corolla of 5 bifid petals ; stamens 
