GENUS 3. 



PINK FAMILY. 



i. Silene acaulis L. Moss Campion. Fig. 1801. 



Silene acaulis L. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 603. 1762. 



Perennial, puberulent or glabrous, branched, densely tufted, 

 i '-3' high. Leaves sessile, crowded, linear, 4"-6" long, about 

 4" wide, obtuse or acutish at the apex, the margins ciliate- 

 serrulate; flowers solitary at the ends of the branches, sessile 

 or slender-peduncled, 4"-6" broad, purple or purplish, rarely 

 white; calyx campanulate, glabrous, 4" high; petals entire or 

 emarginate, with a scale at the base of the blade ; pod oblong, 

 equalling or exceeding the calyx. 



Summits of the White Mountains, N. H. ; Gaspe, Quebec ; Cape 

 Breton Island, Labrador and throughout arctic America, south in 

 the higher Rocky Mountains to Arizona. Also in arctic and alpine 

 Europe and Asia. Cushion- or moss-pink. Summer. 



2. Silene stellata (L.) Ait. Starry Campion. Thermon Snake-root. Fig. 1802. 



Cucubalus stellatus L. Sp. PI. 414. 1753. 

 Silene stellata Ait. f. Hort. Kew. 3: 84. 1811. 



Perennial, erect, 2-^ high, densely and mi- 

 nutely rough-pubescent throughout. Leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, 2'-4' long, i'-i' wide, ver- 

 ticillate in 4*3 or the lowest opposite, their margins 

 finely ciliate ; flowers white, 7"-io" broad, in pan- 

 icled cymes, forming a large showy inflorescence; 

 calyx campanulate, inflated, 7"-8" high, its teeth 

 triangular, acute ; petals crownless, fimbriate, about 

 equalling the stamens; pod globose-ovoid, about the 

 length of the calyx. 



In woods, Massachusetts to Minnesota, Nebraska, 

 Georgia and Arkansas. June-Aug. 



Silene ovata Pursh, which has the habit of this spe- 

 cies but the leaves opposite, is recorded by Pursh from 

 " the western parts of Virginia and Carolina," but is not 

 definitely known from Virginia. 



Silene alba Muhl. Western White or Snowy Campion. Fig. 1803. 



Silene alba Muhl. Cat. 45. 1813. 

 Cucubalus niveus Nutt. Gen. i : 287. 1818. 

 Silene nivea Otth in DC. Prodr. i : 377. 1824. 



Perennial, ascending or erect, rather weak, 

 simple, or divergently branched above, minutely 

 puberulent or glabrate. Leaves lanceolate or 

 oblong-lanceolate, 3'-s' long, 5"-8" wide, acu- 

 minate, the upper gradually smaller, and sub- 

 tending the flowers; pedicels about i' long, di- 

 varicate; flowers few, often solitary, about 10" 

 broad; petals white above, yellowish-green be- 

 neath; calyx inflated, elongated-campanulate, 

 pubescent, its teeth ovate, obtuse, more or less 

 scarious-margined ; petals cuneate, 2-cleft, or 

 2-lobed, minutely crowned. 



In shaded or moist places, Pennsylvania to Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, Minnesota and Nebraska. June- 

 July. 



