STELLARIA.] CARYOPHYLLE^. 57 



Plovers \ in. diam., axillary. Sepals lanceolate, enlarged in fruit. Petals 

 white, lobes diverging. Capsule 1 in., ovoid, a little longer than the sepals, 

 peduncle deflexed, curved at the tip. DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, 

 Siberia, W. Asia. 



SECTION 2, Stella'ria proper. Sepals free to the base. Stamens sub- 

 perigyrious. Styles 3. Cuj)sule with 6 entire valves. 



2. S. nem'orum, L.; stem glabrous or hairy all round, leaves ovate 

 acuminate, lower subcordate long-petioled, upper cauline sessile, cyme 

 lax, petals longer than the sepals. 



Shady places, from Dumbarton and Moray southwards to S. Wales ; ascends to 

 1,200 ft. in Yorkshire ; absent from Ireland ; fi. May-Aug. Glabrous or pilose 

 with jointed hairs and slightly glandular. Stem 1-2 ft., stout, terete, 

 brittle, shining. Leaves 1-3 in., membranous, ciliate. Flowers g 5 in. diam.; 

 pedicels very slender. Sepals lanceolate, obtuse, edges scanous. Capsule 

 ovoid, as long as the sepals ; pedicels spreading or retiexed. DISTRIB. 

 Europe (Arctic), excl. Greece and Turkey. 



3. S. me dia, L. ; stem procumbent with a line of hairs, leaves ovate 

 acuminate, lower petioled, upper sessile, cymes many-flowered, petals 

 shorter than the glandular sepals sometimes 0, stamens 3-10. Chickweed. 

 Cultivated and waste ground, ascending to 2,700 ft. in Scotland ; fl. March- 



Oct. One of the commonest and most variable of plants, 6-18 in., easily 

 recognised by the line of hairs on the stem and branches. DISTRIB. All 

 Arctic and N . temp, regions ; naturalized elsewhere. 



VAR. 1, me'dia proper ; pedicels pubescent, sepals hairy, petals present, sta- 

 mens 5, seeds punctate and obtusely tubercled. VAR. 2, Bordana, 

 Jordan (sp.); pedicels pubescent, sepals hairy, petals 0, stamens 3, seeds 

 smaller obscurely punctate and tubercled. VAR. 3. net/led ta, Weihe (sp.); 

 stem suberect, pedicels pubescent, sepals hairy as long as the petals, stamens 

 10, seeds as in VAK. 1. VAR. 4, umlro'sa, Opitz (sp.) ; stem erect or ascend- 

 ing, pedicels almost glabrous elongate, sepals glabrous with raised points, 

 seeds fuscous acutely tubercled. Sussex, Dorset, Somerset, York. 



4. S. Holostea, L. ; stem suberect 4-angled, angles rough, leaves 

 sessile connate lanceolate acuminate ciliate, petals twice as long as the 

 almost nerveless sepals. 



Copses and hedgerows, &c.; ascending to 1,900 ft. hi the Highlands ; fl. April- 

 June. Perennial. Stem 1-2 ft., decumbent at the base, brittle at the 

 nodes, hairy above. Leaves 1-4 in., rigid. Flowers ^ f in. diam., white, 

 pedicels slender. Capsule globose. DISTRIB. Europe, W. Asia. Flowers 

 sometimes double ; petals occasionally laciniate. 



SECTION 3, Larbrse'a, St. Hilaire (gen.). Sepals united at the base 

 into a conical tube. Stamens very perigynous. Styles 3. Capsule 6-valved. 



5. S. glau'ca, Withering; glaucous, glabrous, stem suberect 4-angled, 

 leaves very narrow sessile margins even, pedicels very long axillary, petals 

 longer than the 3-nerved sepals. 



Marshy places, not uncommon from the Clyde and Forth southwards, rare in 

 Ireland; fl. May-July. Perennial. Stems 1-2 ft., very slender. Leaves 1-2 in., 

 oblong-lanceolate, or linear-oblong. Flowers %-$ in. diam., few, distant. 

 tracts membranous. Sepals lanceolate, acute, margins broad, scarious. 



