128 



ALSINACEAE. 



1, ALSINE [Tourn.] L. 



Tufted herbs, with cymose white flowers. Sepals 5, rarely 4. Petals of 

 the same number, 2-cleft, 2-parted, or emarginate, white in our species, rarely 

 none. Stamens 10 or fewer, hypogynous. Ovary 1-celled; styles commonly 3, 

 rarely 4 or 5. Capsule dehiscent by twice as many valves as there are styles. 

 [Greek, grove, the habitat of some species.] Species about 75, most abundant 

 in temperate or cold climates. Type species: Alsine media L. 



Petals shorter than the sepals. 

 Petals longer than the sepals. 



1. A. media. 



2. A. Baldwinii. 



1. Alsine media L. Common 

 Chickw^eed. (Fig. 147.) Annual, 

 tufted, much branched, decumbent 

 or ascending, 4'-16' long, glabrous 

 except a line of hairs along the stem 

 and branches, the pubescent sepals 

 and the sometimes ciliate petioles. 

 Leaves ovate or oval, 2"-lA' long, 

 acute or rarely obtuse, the lower 

 often cordate; flowers 2"-4" broad, 

 in terminal leafy cymes or also 

 solitary in the axils; sepals oblong, 

 longer than the 2-parted petals; 

 stamens 2-10; capsule ovoid, longer 

 than the calyx; seeds rough. 



Frequent or common in waste 

 and cultivated grounds. Naturalized 

 from Europe. Widely naturalized in 

 temperate North America. Flowers 

 in spring and summer. 



2. Alsine Baldwinii J. K. Small. Bald- 

 win 's Chickweed. (Fig. 148.) Annual, slen- 

 der, pubescent or nearly glabrous. Stem dif- 

 fusely branched, the branches prostrate, 4'-2° 

 long, forking; leaves usually numerous, ovate, 

 sometimes as broad as long, 3"-10" long, 

 acute or acuminate, truncate or cordate; 

 petioles longer than the blades except those 

 of the upper leaves ; pedicels filiform ; sepals 

 ovate, l"-li" long; petals about twice as 

 long as the sepals; capsules ovoid, surpass- 

 ing the sepals; seeds minutely tuberculate, 

 especially on the edges. [Stellaria prostrata 

 Baldw., not Alsine prostrata Forsk.] 



Sand hills, Tucker's Town. Castle Point 

 and near Spanish Rock. Native. South- 

 eastern United States. Its seeds probably 

 brought to Bermuda by birds. Flowers in 

 spring. 



