\ 



4 THE PINK FAMILY. [Lychnis. 



Capsule 1-celled, or divided at the base into 5 cells, and opening in 5 

 or 10 teeth or short valves at the top. 



Far less numerous than Silene, the species of this genus are, however 

 widely spread over the northern hemisphere without the tropics. Some 

 botanists break up the genus into several small ones, referring the British 

 species to Melandrium, Agrostemma, Lychnis, and Viscaria. 



Calyx with long, narrow, green lobes, projecting beyond the 



petals '. . . 3. L. Githago, 



Calyx-teeth shorter than the petals. 



Calyx after flowering much swollen, ovoid and globular. 

 Plant glabrous and glaucous. Calyx veined .... Silene inflata. 

 Plant coarse, green, and hairy.- Calyx 10-ribbed. 



Flowers white. Capsule ovoid 1. L. vespertina. 



Flowers red. Capsule nearly globular . . 2. L. diurna. 



Calyx tubular or short, not swollen. 



Flowers in loose panicles. Petals cut into narrow strips . 4. L. Flos-cuculi. 

 Flowers in heads, or dense oblong panicles. 

 Stems very viscid. Calyx narrow, tubular. Petals 



notched 5. L. Viscaria. 



Stems not viscid. Calyx short. Petals 2-cleft . . . 6. L. alpina. 



Among the exotic species most frequently cultivated for ornament 

 may be mentioned the L. chalcedonica, L. coronaria or Hose Campion, L. 

 Cceli-Rosa, and L. ocellata, from the Mediterranean region or the Levant, 

 and L. fulgens from Mexico. 



1. L. vespertina, Sibth. (fig. 141). White L. A rather coarse, hairy 

 biennial, more or less viscid, 1 to 2 feet high, and loosely branched. 

 Leaves oval-oblong, usually pointed, tapering at the base, the lower ones 

 stalked. Flowers few, in loose panicles, rather large, white, or rarely 

 pale pink, opening in the evening (when they are slightly scented), and 

 usually dioecious. Calyx 7 to 9 lines long, softly hairy, with 10 ribs and 

 5 lanceolate-linear teeth, swelling as the capsule ripens, so as to assume 

 an ovoid shape. Petals 2-cleft. Capsule ovoid, opening at the top in 

 1 teeth, which remain erect, or curve slightly outwards. 



Under hedges, in fields and waste places, throughout Europe and 

 Russian Asia. Abundant in Britain. Fl. all summer. 



2. L. diurna, Sibth. (fig. 142). Red L. Very near L. vespertina, and 

 perhaps a mere variety, but the plant is less viscid, the leaves and calyxes 

 usually shorter, the flowers red, scentless, opening in the morning, and 

 the capsule more globular, the 10 teeth very spreading, or rolled back. 



In moist, shady places, woods and hedge-banks, with the same geo- 

 graphical range as L. vespertina. Equally common in Britain. Fl. all 

 summer, commencing in spring. 



3. L. Githago, Scop. (fig. 143). Corn CocTde. A tall, erect annual, 

 simple or slightly branched, clothed with long,soft, whitish appressed 

 hairs. Leaves long and narrow. Flowers on long leafless peduncles, 

 rather large, red, and inodorous, remarkable for the long, green, linear 

 lobes of the calyx, projecting much beyond the petals ; the latter are 

 broad, undivided, and without any scales on the lamina. Capsule opening 

 in 5 teeth. Agrostemma Githago, Linn. Githago segetum, Desf. 



Probably of south-eastern origin, but now a common cornfield weed, 

 all over Europe and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Abundant 

 in British cornfields. Fl. with the corn. 



4. L. Flos-cuculi, Linn. (fig. 144). Ragged Hobin. Stock short and 

 perennial, but not of long duration, stems erect, not inn oh branched, 1 



