54 DECANDRIA. TRIGYN!A» 



178. ARENARIA. Nutt. Gen. 414. 

 [Lat. Arena, sand; in reference to the favorite soil of some species.] 

 Cal. 5 leaved, spreading. Cor. petals 5, ovate, entire. Caps, ovate, 1 celled, many seedecT. 

 A. LATEHiFLORA. Ph? Stem fiUform; pedicels lateral, long, 2 or 3 cleft, 1 bibracteate in the middle. 

 Fl. Latter end of June , and after. Fr. mat. Middle of July, and after. 



Kab. Barrens: shaded rivulet, above S. Stringfellow's: rare. 9 to IS inches long: flowers white, small. 



Chs. Mr. Schweiiiitz, to whom I submitted this plant, says " there is no doubt that this is A. lateriflora:^ 

 anrl yet it doe.s not well accord with the description given by Willdenow and Pursh. The leaves are lan- 

 ceolate-oval, and aciitc: the petals are shorter than the calyx,— and, what is more remarkable, are deeply 

 two-ncirted ! In other respects, however, it seems to suit the description. Can it be, that the plant intend- 

 ed by Pursh, &c. isreally a SW/arml My specimens certainly, iu my view, have more of the habit, and 

 locality of a Stellaria, than of an Arenaria. 



A. sERpyLLiFcxTA. Ell. Stem dichotomous^ diffuse; leaves ovate, acute: calyx longer than the petals- 



Fu/5-o— Thrme-leaved Sand-wort. 



Fl. Latter end of May, and after. Fr. mat. Last of June, and after. 



Il'jb. Dry, sandy fields; gardens, &c. frequent. 3 to 1) inches long: flowers white, small. 



A. STRiCTA. EH. Stems aumerous; leaves subulate-linear, erect; calyx much shorter than the petals. 



Fl. Last of May, till August. -fV. mat. Latter end of June, and after. 



Hcb. Barren ridge, north of West-Chester: not common. 4 to 10 inches high: flowers white. 



Ob^. Thisplant is remarkably local in its habitat. It abounds among the perpentine rocks, on the most 

 sterile parts of the Barren ridge: but I have never met with it elsewhere. Tiie capsule is about the length 

 of the calyx. Ste Elliott. 



173. CERASTIUM. Nutt. Gen. 417. 



[Gr. A'i'raiion, a little horn; in allusion to the form of the capsules.] 



Cai.. 5 leaved. Cor. petals 5, bifid, or emarginate. Caps. 1 celled, opening at the 10 toothed summit. 



C. VUI.GATTJM. Ph. Cespitose; hirsute; leaves ovate; petals oblong, about as long as the calyx. 



Vtilgo — Mouse-ear Chickwccd. JMouse-ear. 



Fl. Middle of May, and af»r. Fr- mat- June, and after. 



J/a&. Pastures, and open wcodlanJs: frequent. 6 to iO inches high: flowers white. 



C viscosriiT. Ph. Diffuse; hirsute; viscous; leaves lance-oblcng; petals obovate, as long as the calyx- 



Vulgo — Clammy Mouse-ear. 



Fl. Middle of May, and after. Fr. mat. June, and after. 



Hab. Woodlands, &c. near Hatch's factory: fyequent. 4 to 6 inches high: flowers white. 



C- SEMiDECAfJDRtTM. Ph. Pentandrous; decunfibcnt; leaves ovate, acute; petals shorter than the calyx - 



F!. Beginning of May, and after. Fr. mat. June, and after. 



Hab. Pastures, &.c. Green tree farm: frequent. 6 to 12 inches long: flowerswhite. 



Obs. My specimens seern to Lp a V3)i>?w,— being somewhat glabrous; the leaves strictly ovate, loAver 

 ones petiolate. This and the two preceding species are supposed to be foreigners. 



C. LONGEPEDiJ?:c:uLATLrM. Fl. Phil. Viscid-pubescent; leaves oblong-linear, acute; peduncles long. 



Synon. C glutinosura. Nutt. C nutans. Torrey. 



Fl. Eegiimjng of May, and after. Fr. mat- Lastof May, and after- 



Hah. Woodlands; shaded rivulets, Sic. freq>ae;it. G to 12 inches high: flowerswhite. 



C. HiRsuTUM? Ell. Hirsute; leaves ovai-lanceolate, connate, rather obtuse; flowers clustered, large. 



Fl. Latter end of April, and after. Fr. mat. La^t of May, and after. 



Hab. Stony banks: Barrens; Strode's Mill: frequent. 4 to 8 inches long: flowers white. 



Obi. Mr. Schweinitz, in a note to me. says "this exactly resernhles C hirmtmn, Ell. and Muhl- as 

 communicated to me by Mr. Elliott." Indeed Mr. Elliott's description suits it very well, except that bomc 

 of the leaves, above, are rather lanceolate, and somewhat acute- 



C. oELONGiFOi.iUM? Tor. Tomentose; dichotomous; leaves lance-ohlong, narrow; peduncles by 3's. 

 Fl. Middle of May, and after- Fr. mat. Beginning of June, and after. 



Hab- Barren Ridge, frequent: rare clsewliere. 6 to 12 inches high: flcv/ers white. 



Obs Of this species Mr. SchweinitT: remarks, that it '' comes nearest to the C. obloitf;ifolium,TorT^ji 

 but at the same time is a very remarkable one.— which perhaps on closer examination, and comparison, may 

 |>rove new-" Dr- Muhlenberg was most probably acquainted with it; and I am ineimed to think it must ^ 

 be the C. dichutoiriU!:^ of his catalogue. - 



