64 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



at the base. Gynophore rudimentary. Capsule ovoid, a little longer 

 than the calyx, which is ruptured by it at maturity. 



In dry sandy fields and roadsides. Very local. In the counties 

 of Norfolk, SuflPolk, and Cambridge, where they adjoin each other 

 about Brandon, Mildenhall, Thetford, and Chippenham. 



England. Perennial. Summer. 



Hootstock tufted at the apex, and producing numerous nar- 

 rowly spatliulate leaves, attenuated into a leafstalk, and varying 

 from f to 3 inches long, including the stalk. Lower stem leaves 

 similar, but smaller; the upper ones shorter, and not at all 

 enlarged at the apex. Panicle narrow, interrupted below, with 

 the flowers appearing whorled, or the secondary branches bearing 

 irregular umbels ; more rarely the lower ones elongated with 

 whorled flowers. Bracts membranous, connate. Pedicels gene- 

 rally exceeding the calyx. Flowers -^^ inch long by -} inch across. 

 Calyx with the teeth membranous, rounded. Petals with the 

 laminai very narrow, pale yellowish-green, sub-erect ; claw without 

 auricles at the top. Stamens and styles exserted, the latter varying 

 from 2 to 5. Seeds very small, roundish-reniform, channelled on the 

 back, finely shagreened. Plant growing in small dense tufts, green, 

 with the stem sticky as far up as the middle, its base and the 

 margins of the leaves and bracts clothed with short hairs ; flowers 

 dioecious, with imperfect styles in the stameniferous, and imperfect 

 stamens in the pistiliferous flowers. 



Spanish Catchjlij. 



French, Silene d, P^tites Fleurs. German, Ohrluffel Tanienhropf. 



The sj)ecific name of this plant comes from one, otu^ {pus, otos), an ear, from the 

 form of the leaves. 



SPECIES VIII.— S ILENE NUTANS. Linn. 



Plate CCVII. 



Reich. Ic. FI. Germ, et Helv. Vol. VI. Caryoph. Tab. CCXCV. Fig. 5108. 



Hootstock perennial, slender, woody, branched, producing rather 

 short barren shoots and erect flowering stems. Lower leaves oblan- 

 ceolate, attenuated into a footstalk ; uppermost stem-leaves sessile, 

 lanceolate-linear. Flowers rather numerous, drooping, in a lax sub- 

 secund panicle. Calyx cylindrical-clavate, turbinate in fruit, very 

 slightly umbilicate at the base, with rather short triangular teeth 

 at the apex, pubescent. Petals with the laminae slightly reflcxed 

 at the base, and slightly inflexed at the apex, obovate, bipartite, 

 with oblong not contiguous segments, and with 2 triangular- 

 lanceolate scales at the base ; claws not auriclcd at the summit. 



