2 THE PINK FAMILY. [Silent. 



Armerid), appear to have occasionally escaped from gardens, and sown 

 themselves in some localities. Several other exotic species, especially 

 S. compacta, S. vespertina, S. rubella, S. Schafta, &c., are frequent orna- 

 ments of our flower-beds. 



1. S. acaulis, Linn. (fig. 134). Dwarf S., Moss Caw^non. This beautiful 

 little mountain plant forms dense moss-like tufts, often many; inches' 

 diameter, consisting of a much branched perennial stock, the very short 

 branches covered with the remains of old leaves, and crowned by dense 

 spreading clusters of short, green, linear, and glabrous leaves. From 

 the centre of these arise the numerous flowers, either sessile or on 

 1-flowered peduncles, which seldom attain an inch in length. Calyx 

 broadly tubular or campanulate, quite glabrous, with rather obtuse 

 teeth. Petals reddish-purple, obovate, slightly notched, with a small 

 scale at the base of the lamina. 



In the mountains of northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and America, 

 and, at considerable elevations, on the great mountain-ranges of central 

 and southern Europe. Abundant in the mountains of Scotland, ex- 

 tending more sparingly into the Lake district of England and into 

 North Wales ; in Ireland found only in Donegal. Fl. summer. 



2. S. Cucubalus, Wibel. (fig. 135). Campion. A perennial, loosely 

 branched at the base, with ascending or seldom erect stems, from 6 

 inches to above a foot long, of a glaucous green, and usually glabrous. 

 Leaves ovate, oblong, or rarely nearly linear, and usually pointed. 

 Flowers few, white, erect or slightly drooping, in loose terminal 

 panicles. Calyx rather more than half an inch long, becomes at length 

 almost globular, inflated, and much veined. Petals more or less deeply 

 2-cleft, with a small scale at the base of the lamina, which sometimes 

 disappears altogether, S. inflata, Sm. 



In fields, on banks, roadsides, and waste places, throughout Europe 

 and Kussian and central Asia, extending into the Arctic regions and to 

 high alpine summits. Generally spread over Britain, but not very 

 common. Fl. all summer. A sea-coast variety, more frequent in England 

 and Ireland, with short diffuse stems, thicker, more obtuse leaves, 

 almost solitary flowers, and larger scales on the petals, has been dis- 

 tinguished as a species, under the name of S. maritima. 



3. S. Otites, Sm. (fig. 136). Spanish . Perennial stock short and 

 tufted, with narrow leaves, as in S. nutans; the stems simple, erect and 

 stiff, with few leaves, about a foot high. Flowers dioecious, small and 

 numerous, of a pale yellowish-green, arranged in loose opposite clusters, 

 having the appearance of whorls, and forming a long, narrow panicle. 

 Calyx scarcely 1^ line long. Petals narrow and entire. Style and 

 stamens projecting beyond the flower. 



In sandy fields and pastures, in central, southern, and especially 

 eastern Europe, and all across Eussian Asia ; not so common in western 

 Europe, although extending to the sandy shores of the Atlantic. In 

 Britain only in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. Fl. summer. 



4. S. nutans, Linn. (137). Nottingham Catchfly. Stock tufted and 

 perennial, with a rather thick taproot, short, procumbent barren shoots, 

 and erect flowering stems, 1 to 2 feet high, more or less hoary with 

 short hairs, usually viscid in the upper part. Lower leaves oblong- 

 obovate, pointed, narrowed into a long stalk, the stem-leaves few, 

 narrow s azid sessile, Flowers nodding in a loose, rather narrow panicle, 



