DECANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 53 



174. SAPONARIA. Nutt. Gen. 403. 

 [Lat. Sapo, soap; hs mucilage affording a sort of substitute for that article.] 



Cal. tubular, 5 toothed, naked at base. Cor. petals 5, unguiculate. Caps, superior, 1 ceiled. 

 S- OFFICINALIS. Ell Calyx cylindrical; leaves opposite, subconnate, ovate-lanceolate, entire. 

 Fif/.jfj— Soap-wort. Bruise-vyort. Bouncini;- Bet. 



Fl. Middle of July, and after. Fr. mat. Last of August, and after. 



■Mub. Gardens, and among,- rubbish.- frequent. 12 to IS inches high: flowers reddish white. 



Ohs. This is a foreigner, and rather troublesome in our gardens. Dr. Withering snys that when " bruispa 

 and agitated with water, it raises a lather like soap, which washes greasy spots out of clothes. A decoc- 

 tion of it, applied externally, cures the itch." Ke also notices othermedica! properties (See his Systema- 

 tic Arrangement of Brifish Plaids, fifiu Edition, Vol- 2. p. 503) : liut I iucliiie to doubt them. 



17o. CUCUBALUS. Nutt. Gen. 411. 



[Altered from Cacobole—Gr. Kakos, evil, and Bole, shoot, or plant; from its supposed character. De TJicis-l 



Cal. inflated, 5 toothed. Con. petals 5, unguiculate, not crowned at throat. Caps. 3 celled. 



C- STELLATUS. EH. Leaves verticillate by 4'S; oval-lanceolate, acuminate; petals fimbriate. 

 ' Fu/gfo— Four-leaved Campion. 



Fl- Be<;inni!ig of July, and after. Fr- mat. Middle of August, and after. 



Hal'. Woodlands: E.Uh, &c. frequent. ?. to 4feethi-h: flowers white. 



176. SILENE. Andf. Gen. 412. 



[Supposed from the Gr. S/ii?on.. saliva; in allusion to the frothy, viscid moisture on the stalks.] 



Cal- cylindric, or conic. Cor. petals 5, unguiculate, mostly crowned at throat. Caps. 3 celled- 



S. ANTiRRir»N'.\. Eil- Leaves narrow-lanceoiate; peduncles dichotomons. or trifid; capsules inflated- 



!Ftt/g-o— Catch-fly. 



Fl. Latter end of June. Fr. mat- Middle of July. 



jHizt. Wheat lields, fence-rows, &c. frequent, li to 2 feet high: flowers v^hite, small. 



Ohi. Remarkable for having portions of the stem, and peduncles, covered v>'ith a dark red viscid matter, 

 very adhesive. 



177. STELLARIA. Nuff. Gen. 41.:^. 



[Ij;it. S/t/Zft, a star; the corolla, of bifid petals, reserr.bling a star.] 



Cal. 5 leaved, spreading. Cor., petals 5, deeply 2 cleft. Caps, ovate, 1 celled, many seeded- 



S. MEDIA. Ph. Stems procumbent, with an alternating, lateral, hairy line; leaves ovate, smooth. 



Viilgo — Common Chickweed. 



Fl. All summer. Fr. mat. May, and after. 



Mab. Gardens, and cultivated grounds: very common. About 1 foot long: flowers white. 



Ohs. Probably a foreigner. The stamens vary, in number, from 3 to 5, or 10. Sometimes it continues 

 green tlwoughout the winter; and I have seen it in flower in the mo;ith of Februaij'. 



S. LA.NCEOLATA. Tor? Glabrous; leaves oval-lanceolate, ciliate at base; petals shorter than the calyx. 

 Synon. S. uliginosa. Bart. Fl. P/iil? Ivlicropetalam lanceolatum. Ph? Spergulastrum lanceolatum. 3Lr' 

 Fl. Middle of Ma}', and after. Fr. mat- Beginning of July, and after. 



Hah. Swampy springs, on the Barrens: frequent. to 15 inches high: flowers white, delicate- 



Obs. I have some doubts respecting t'.iis species. On the authority of Mr. Schweinitz, I have referred 

 'it to the S. lauceolata. of Torrey. It is a .smooth, succulent plant, with flaccid 4 cornered stems; leaves 

 opposite, sub-amplexicaul, oval-lanceolate, narrow at base, and slightly ciliate; flowers sub-paniculate. 



S. LONCiFOLiA. Tor. Leaves opposite, lance-linear, entire, .smooth: panicle terminal: caly.x 3 nerved. 

 Synon. S. graminca. Bi^. St. Bart. Fl. Phil. 3IicropctaIum gramineum. Ph. Spergulastrum gramineuui. 3Ir. 

 Fl. Middle of May. ' Fr. mat. Eoftinning of Jnly. 



Hab. Swampy ground.?: Bath, ficc frequent. 22 to 20 inches high: flowcis while. 



Ohs. Stem sub-decumbent, slender, acutely 1 angler*, or sub-alate; theiuimbc:- cT stvles varvi.igficm 3, 

 to -1 '>r -5. 



