70 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



colour; and probably there exist hybrids between them, of which 

 Mr. J. G. Baker has sent me what he believes to be examples. One 

 of these marked " vespertino-diurna " may be so; but that called 

 " diurno-vespertina " appears to me only a pale variety of S. diurna ; 

 though, in the absence of the mature capsule, it is difficult to give 

 a decided opinion. 



Med Campion. 



French, Lychnide Rouge. German, Rolhc LicMnelke. 



GUNUS F".— LYCHNIS. Ziim. 



Plowers without involucral scales at the base. Calyx sub- 

 cylindrical, tubular-clavate or ovoid, 5-toothed or 5-cleft at the 

 apex, 10-nerved, five of the nerves indicating the line of demarcation 

 between the sepals. Petals with narrow linear or wedge-shaped 

 claws, generally destitute of raised longitudinal bands ; laminae 

 spreading, entire, notched, bifid or 4-cleft, usually with 2 scales at 

 the base forming a crown. Stamens 10. Torus often more or less 

 elongated into a stalk-like gynophore between the calyx and 

 other parts of the flower. Styles 5. Capsule 1-celled, often with 

 imperfect partitions at the base, opening at the apex by as many 

 teeth as there are styles. Seeds reniform, tubercular or smooth, 

 with a lateral hilum. Embryo peripherical, forming a semicircle 

 or a complete circle. 



The separation of this genus from Silene has no foundation in 

 nature. By following Dr. Godron in removing Melandrium to 

 Silene, a slight improvement is efi'ected, as otherwise the characters 

 depend solely on the number of styles, which varies in several 

 species of Silene. By taking Dr. Godron's view of Silene, that genus 

 and Lychnis have the same relation to each other as Arenaria 

 and Alsine. 



The name of this genus of plants is derived from Xv^yoc (luchtios), a torch, either 

 because its leaves were anciently used in making torches, or in allusion to its flame- 

 coloured and flickering petals. Some writers conjecture that the name arose from the 

 resemblance of its semitranspareut calyx to a lantern. 



Section I— EU-LYCHNIS. 



Calyx sub-membranous or herbaceous, with 5 short teeth at 

 the apex. Petals with scales at the base of the lamina, which is 

 notched, cleft, or partite. Capsule without imperfect partitions. 



