SILENB. 



237 



useful edging-plant. Seed, cuttings, 

 or division. 



Silene acaulis (Cushion Pink}. A 

 very dwarf alpine herb tufted into 

 light-green masses like a wide-spread- 

 ing moss, but quite firm. Flowers, in 

 summer ; pink-rose or crimson, on 

 short stalks barely peeping above 

 the leaves ; petals obovate, slightly 

 notched ; calyx bell-shaped or tubular, 

 quite smooth, with rather blunt teeth. 

 Leaves, short, linear, smooth, crowded. 

 There are several varieties : alba, with 

 white flowers ; exscapa, with the 

 flower - stems shorter than in the 

 usual form, and muscoides, dwarfer 

 still ; but none of them are far re- 

 moved from the common plant, or of 

 greater importance. Native of the 

 mountains of Scotland, Ireland, North 

 Wales, the lake district of England, 

 and many other parts of Europe ; 



found also in Asia and America. 



The rock-garden, in exposed parts, in 

 any open moist soil. Division. 



Silene alpestris (Alpine Catchfly}. A 

 dwarf and beautiful alpine herb, about 

 6 in. high. Flowers, in early summer ; 

 white, shining, rather large, panicled ; 

 petals 4-toothed ; calyx erect, with 

 blunt teeth, as long as the petals. 

 Leaves, linear-lance-shaped, bluntish, 

 tufted, smooth, erect ; stem simple, 

 few-leaved. Some varieties of this 

 species are quite sticky from viscid 

 matter, and others perfectly free from 

 it. Alps of Europe. The rock- 

 garden, borders, edgings, or naturali- 

 zation in open, bare, or rocky spots, 

 in ordinary soil, and always in a fully 

 exposed position. Seed and division. 



Silene Elisabethae (Elizabeth's Catch- 

 1J.y). A beautiful species, the flowers 

 of which look more like those of some 

 handsome but dwarf Clarkia than 

 those of the commonly grown Silenes ; 

 3 or 4 in. high. Flowers, in sum- 

 mer; large, bright-rose, the base of the 

 petals white ; from 1 to 7 borne on 



each stem. Leaves, oval - oblong, 

 acutely pointed, about ^ "* broad, 

 viscid, pubescent, and shining, grow- 

 ing in tufts. Tyrolese Mountains. 



The rock-garden, in warm spots, 



in well-drained sandy loam, and on 

 the margin of the choice mixed 

 border. Seed. 



Silene maritima (Sea Catchfly). A 

 dwarf herb with short spreading 

 stems forming level glaucous tufts ; 2 

 to 4 in. high. Flowers, nearly all the 

 summer ; white, usually solitary, about 



1 in. across ; petals bifid, crowned at 

 the base ; anthers deep purple ; calyx 

 purple, inflated, netted with veins. 

 Leaves, connate, smooth, glaucous, 

 lance-shaped, I to 2 in. long and 

 about | in. broad. The double variety 

 is the handsomest and is the kind 

 generally seen in gardens. Sea- coast 

 in several parts of Britain and Nor- 

 way. Borders, edges of raised beds, 



etc., in ordinary soil. Division. 



Silene orientalis (Umbel-flowered S.} 

 A very showy perennial, about 



2 ft. high. Flowers, in summer ; very 

 handsome, deep rose-colour, in dense 

 umbel -like heads 3 in. across. Leaves, 

 glaucous, oval, pointed, opposite, 

 nearly erect, clothing the entire stem 

 very densely. Native country un- 

 known. Borders, in sandy loam. 



Seed or division. 



Silene pennsylvanica (Pennsylvanian 

 Catchfly). A very pretty and showy 

 kind with numerous stems from the 

 same root ; v 8 to 12 in. high. Flowers, 

 in summer'; light purple or pink, in a 

 many-flowered cyme ; petals oboval, 

 very obtuse and hollowed at the tips ; 

 calyx gradually thickening, very 

 clammy. Leaves, more or less sharp- 

 pointed; radical ones spoon-shaped, 

 gradually tapering into the stalks ; 

 stem - leaves lance - shaped. North 



America. Eockwork, or margin of 



the mixed border, in very sandy loam,. 

 Seed and division. 



