258 OKDER 21. CARYOPHYLLACE^C. 



2 C. viscosum L. Hairy, viscid, spreading: Ivs. obkng- lanceolate, rather acute; 

 fa. in loose cymes; sep. scarious and white on the margin and apex, shorter than 

 the pedicels. r l\- Fields and waste grounds, U. S. and Can. Plant greener than 

 the last. Sts. many, assurgent, dichotomously cymous. Lvs. 5 to 9" long, to 

 {r as wide, radical ones subspatulate. Fls. white, in diffuse cymes. Pet. hardly 

 as long as the sep., obovate, bifid. Sta. rarely but 5. Jn. Aug. 



3 C. arvense L. Pubescent, somewhat csspitous; Ivs. linear-lanceolate, acute, 

 often longer than the internodes; cyme on a long, terminal peduncle, four-flow- 

 ered ; petals more than twice longer than the calyx ; caps, scarcely exceeding the 

 sepals. ^ Rocky hills. Sts. 4 to 10' high, decumbent at base. Lvs. 9 to 15" 

 long, 1 to 2" wide. Fls. white, rather large. Caps, usually a little longer than 

 the calyx. May Aug. 



4 C. oblongifolium Torr. Yillous, viscid above ; st. erect or declined ; Ivs. 

 oblong-lanceolate, mostly obtuse, and shorter than the internodes ; fls. numerous, 

 in a spreading cyme ; pet. twice as long as the sepals ; caps, about twice as long as 

 the calyx. % Rocky places. Sts. 6 to 10' high, thick. Lvs. 9 to 12" by 3 to 5", 

 tapering from base to an acute or obtuse apex. Fls. larger than either of the 

 foregoing, white, in two or three-forked cymes. Apr. Jn. 



5 C. nutans Raf. Viscid and pubescent ; st. weak, striate-sulcate, erect ; Ivs- 

 lanceolate ; fls. many, diffusely cymous, on long, filiform, nodding pedicels ; pet. 

 nearly twice as long as the cal. ; caps, a little curved, nearly thrice as long.-(T) 

 Low grounds, Yt. to 111. and La. Pale green and clammy. Sts. 8 to 15' high, 

 branched from the base. Lvs. to 2' long, as wide. Fls. white. May. 

 Varies greatly at different dates ; beginning to flower when small in all its parts. 



7. STEILARIA, L. STAR CHICKWEED. (Latin, stclla, a star from 

 the stellate or star-like flowers.) Sepals 5, connected at base ; petals 5, 

 2-parted, rarely ; stamens 10, .rarely fewer ; styles 3, sometimes 4; 

 capsule ovoid, 1 -celled, valves as many as styles, 2-parted at top ; seeds 

 many. Small herbs in moist, shady places. Fls. in forked cymes or 

 axillary, white. 



Stems leafy to the top, or with leafy bracts, (a) 



Steins leafless above, bearing scarions bracts Nos. 6 8 



a Leaves ovate. Stems prostrate, pubescent Nos. 1, 2 



a Leaves oblong, lanceolate or linear Nos. 3 5 



1 S. media Smith. CHICKWEED. Lvs. ovate ; st. procumbent, with an alternate, 

 lateral, hairy line ; pet. shorter than the sep; sta. 3 to 5 or 10. A common weed 

 ki almost every situation N. of Mexico, flowering from the beginning of Spring 

 to the end of Autumn. Sts. branched, becoming cymous, brittle, round, jointed, 

 leafy, and remarkably distinguished by the hairy ridge. Fls. small, white. The 

 seeds are eaten by poultry and birds. Eur. 



2 S. prostrata Baldw. Lvs. ovate, the lower on long petioles, sts. procumbent, 

 hollow, pubescent; fls. on long pedicels; pet. longer than sepals ; stam. 7. CD Ga. 

 and Fla. Sts. 1 to 4f long, slightly channelled and downy ; lower Ivs. sub- 

 cordate, shorter than the ciliate-petioles. Fls. small. Mar., Apr. 



3 S. pubera Michx. St. ascending, pubescent in one lateral or two opposite lines; 

 Ivs. o'tlong or elliptical, acute, sessile, somewhat ciliate; fls. on filiform, finally 

 recurved pedicels; petals longer than the sepals. 2f In rocky places, Penn. to 

 Ind. and Ga. St. 6 to 12' high, often diffusely spreading. Lvs. 1 to 2^-' by 4 to 

 10", with minute, seattered hairs. Fls. ' diam., axillary and terminal, with 10 

 stamens and 3 styles. Sep. white-edged. Apr. Jn. 



4 B. uniflora "Walt. St. glabrous, erect, branched from the base; Its. linear- 

 subulate, lanceolate, acute ; ped. axillary, solitary, 1-flowered ; pet. emarginate, 

 twice as long as the sep. (T) N. Car., Ga., in swamps. Sts. 10 12' high, slen- 

 der. Lvs. much shorter than the internodes. Ped. filiform, as long (2 to 3') as 

 the internodes. May. 



5 S. borealis Bigelovv. St. weak, smooth ; Ivs. veinless, lanceolate, acute; ped. 

 at length axillary, elongated, 1-flowered; petals 2-parted (sometimes wanting), 



