ORDER XX. CARYOPHYLLACE^E PINK-FAMILY. 



141 



into 3 5 parcels, occasionally distinct. Styles 3 5, separate, 

 or united at base, persistent. 



* Stamens in several sets. 



1. H. perforation. 



St. John's- wort. 



Stem erect, 2 edged, smooth, branching; leaves elliptical, obtuse, sessile, 

 punctate with pellucid dots ; flowers numerous, bright yellow, in cymose pani- 

 cles ; sepals lanceolate, much shorter than the obovate petals and sepals, bor- 

 dered with dark-colored glandular spots. A common troublesome plant, 

 spreading rapidly in pastures and dry grounds. Introduced. June July. Per. 



2. H. corymbosum. Spotted St. Jolirfs-wort. 



Stem erect, smooth, terete, with opposite branches; leaves oval, sessile, 

 smooth, emarginate, punctate with dark spots ; flowers numerous, pale yellow, 

 rather small, in dense, terminal, corymbose cymes; petals oblong, with oblong, 

 dark spots ; styles distinct ; stigmas red, 2. In wet woods and boggy meadows. 

 Stem 1 3 feet high. Per. 



* * Stamens distinct. 



3. H. mutilum. 



Small St. John's-wort. 



Stem erect, smooth, 4-angled. branching above ; leaves oval, obtuse, entire, 

 sessile, 5- veined ; flowers very small, greenish-yellow, in leafy cymes; sepals 

 lanceolate, a little longer than the petals ; stamens 6 12 ; capsule ovate, conical. 

 A small species in wet grounds. July Aug. An. 



4. H. Canadense. Canadian St. John's-wort. 



Stem slender, erect, with the 4 angles marked by the decurrent base of the 

 leaves ; leaves linear, attenuate at base, with black dots beneath ; flowrs small, 

 pale orange, in nearly naked cymes; sepals lanceolate, very acute, longer than 

 the petals, but shorter than the red capsule. A small, delicate species, 3' 12' 

 high, in wet sandy soils. July Aug. An. 



5. H. Sarothra. Slender St. Jdhn's-wort. 



Stem slender, square, with filiform branches ; leaves minute, opposite, subu- 

 iate ; flow T ers very small, yellow, sessile ; sepals linear-lanceolate, about equal to 

 the petals, J as long as the purple, acute capsule. A curious looking plant, in 

 road-sides and dry soils, from the very small size of the leaves, apparently leaf- 

 less. July Aug. An. 



2. ELODEA. 



Sepals 5, equal, somewhat united at base. Petals 5, decidii- 

 ous, equilateral. Stamens in 3 parcels, which alternate with 3 

 hypogyiious glands. Styles 3, distinct. Capsule 3-celled. Per. 



1. E. Virginica. 



Marsh St. Johns-wort. 



Stem erect, smooth, sub-compressed, branching; leaves sessile, clasping, ob- 

 long, obtuse, glaucous beneath ; flowers rather large, of a dull orango purple, in 

 axillary and terminal racemes ; petals obovate-oblong, twice longer than the 

 sepals, marked with reddish veins ; stamens united below the middle, 3 in a 

 set; glands ovate, orange-colored. Grows 8' 16' high, in swamps and ditches, 

 generally with foliage of a purplish hue. July Aug. 



ORDER XX. Caryophyllacese. Pink-family. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 



SUBORDER I. Sileneae. 



Sepals united into a tube. Petals with claws. Leaves without stipules. 

 Stamens inserted below the pedicellate ovary. 



1. SILENE. Calyx without scales at base. Styles 3. Capsule opening by 6 

 teeth. 



2. LYCHNIS. Calyx without scales, and entire at base. Styles 5. Capsule 

 opening by 510 teeth. 



8. SAPONARIA. Calyx without scales at base. Styles 2. Capsule 1-celled, 

 opening by 4 teeth. 



4. DIANTHUS. Calyx with 2 scales at base. Styles 2. Capsule 1-celled. 



SUBORDER II. Alsinese. 



Sepals nearly or quite distinct Petals without claws, rarely none. Capsule 

 1-celled. Leaves without stipules. 



* Petals entire, or none. 



7. ABENAEIA. Petals 5. Styles 3, rarely 2 or 4. Stamens inserted at the 

 base of the ovary. Flowers perfect. 



8. HONCKENYA. Petals 5. Styles 3 5. Stamens inserted into a glandular 

 disk. Flowers mostly polygamo-dicecious. 



9. SAGINA. Petals 45. Styles 46. Pod 4 5-valved. Leaves setaceous. 



* * Petals 2-clef t at apex. 



5. STELLARIA. Styles 3 4. Capsule opening by 36 valves. 



6. CERASTIUM. Styles 5. Capsules opening by 10 teeth. 



SUBORDER III. Illecebreae. 



Sepals nearly or quite distinct. Petals without claws, or none. Capsule 1- 

 celled. Leaves with scarious stipules. 



10. ANYCITIA. Petals none. Stamens 25. Styles 2, more or less united. 

 Capsule 1-seeded. 



11. SPEBGULA. Petals 5. Stamens 510. Styles 35. Capsule many- 

 seeded. 



SUBORDER IV. Scleranthese. 



Sepals united at base, with the stamens inserted at the throat. Petals none. 

 Capsule 1-celled. Leaves without stipules. 



12. SCLEKANTIIUS. Stamens 5 10. Styles 2. 



SUBORDER V. Mollugineas. 



Sepals united at base. Petals none. Capsule 3-celled. Leaves without 

 stipules. 



13. MULL^GO. Sepals 5. Stamens 35. Styles 8. 



1. SILENE. 



Calyx tubular, swelling, without scales at base, 5-toothed. 

 Petals 5, unguiculate, often with scales at summit. Stamens 10. 

 Styles 3. Capsule 3-celled, many-seeded, opening at the top by 

 6 teeth. 



1. S. antirrhina. 



Nocturnal Catchfly. 



Nearly glabrous ; stem simple, or branched above, erect, glutinous below 

 each node ; leaves lanceolate ; upper ones linear, acute and scabrous on the 

 margin ; flowers small, pale red, nocturnal, also open in very cloudy weather, 

 peduncles few-flowered ; flowers pedicellate ; petals emarginate ; calyx ovate. 

 Dry sandy soils, 8' 20' high. June July. Per. 



2. S. Armeria. 



Garden Catchfly. 



Very glabrous, glaucous ; stem erect, branching, glutinous, as in the last ; 

 leaves ovate-lanceolate ; flowers purple, in corymbose cymes, numerous ; petals 

 obcordate, crowned ; calyx clavate, 10-striate. A common garden flower, 12' 

 18' high. July Sep. An. 



2. LYCHNIS. 



Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, without scales at base. Petals 6, 

 unguiculate ; claws slender. Stamens 10. Styles 5. Capsule 

 1-celled or 5-celled at base. 



1. L. Githago. 



Corn-cockle. 



Stem dichotomous, h'rsute; leaves sessile, soft-hairy; flowers few, light 

 purple, on long peduncles ; calyx segments twice as long as the entire petals. 

 A handsome weed, 13 feet high, in cultivated grounds, especially in grain 

 fields ; leaves of a pale green color. July. An. 



2. L. Chalcedonica. 



Scarlet Lychnis. 



Nearly smooth ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, dark green ; flowers ia 

 terminal, dense fascicles, scarlet ; calyx cylindrie, ribbed, clavate ; petals 2- 

 lobed. Gardens, growing 6' high. Flowers varying to white, sometimes dou- 

 ble. June July. Per. 



3. L. Flosciiculi. 



Eagged Eobin. 



Subglabrous; stem assurgent, dichotomous and viscid above, with scabrous 

 angles; flowers fascicled, pink ; calyx brown, smooth, 10-ribbed, campanulate; 

 petals deeply cut into 4 linear segments. A beautiful inhabitant of the garden, 

 blooming from July to September. Per. 



4. L. coronata. 



Chinese Lychnis. 



Glabrous; stem erect; flowers large, bright red, terminal and axillary 1 3 

 in number; calyx terete, clavate, ribbed; petals laciniate. Plant 1 2 feet 

 high. Gardens. July. 



5. L. diurna. English Lychnis. 



Stem erect, pubescent, dichotomous, paniculate above ; leaves elliptic-ovate, 

 acute ; flowers light purple, dioecious ; petals deeply-bifid, with narrow diverg- 

 ing lobes ; capsule subglobose. Almost naturalized in some places. Gardens. 

 July Sep. 



8. SAPONlEIA. 



Calyx tubular, 5-toothed, without scales. Petals 5, with 

 claws as long as the calyx. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Capsule 1- 

 celled. 



