516. Stellaria media. 



PINK FAMILY 355 



cyme, peduncled, showy, 1^-2 in. broad; calyx bell-like, enlarged as pod 

 matures: petals 2-cleft, crowned, bright crimson: stem viscid-pubescent. 

 Open, dry woods. May to September. 



S. noctifldra, Linn. Night-flowering catchfly. Annual: lower leaves 

 spatulate or obovate, the upper linear: flowers large, few, pedicelled, 

 in loose panicle, opening at dusk for the night: very fragrant: calyx-tube 

 elongated, noticeably veined, with awl-like teeth: petals 2-cleft; white, 

 crowned. Weed introduced from Europe. July to 

 September. 



5. STELLARIA. Chickweed. 



Small, weak herbs with sepals 4-5, petals of equal 

 number and deeply cleft or sometimes wanting; stamens 

 10 or less; styles usually 3: pod opening by twice as 

 many valves as there are styles. 



S. media, Cyrill. Common chickweed. Fig. 457. & 

 Little prostrate annual, making a mat in cultivated ,_£ 

 grounds, with ovate or oblong leaves mostly on hairy 

 petioles: flowers solitary, minute, white, the 2-parted 

 petals shorter than the calyx, the peduncle elongating in fruit. Europe; 

 very common. Blooms in cold weather. 



6. CERASTIUM. Mouse-ear Chickweed. 



Differs from Stellaria chiefly in having 5 styles and pod splitting into 

 twice as many valves. The two following gray herbs grow in lawns. From 

 Europe. 



C. viscosum, Linn. Annual, about 6 in. high: leaves ovate to spatulate: 

 flowers small, in close clusters, the petals shorter than the calyx, and the 

 pedicels not longer than the acute sepals. 



C. vulgatum, Linn. Perennial and larger, clammy-hairy: leaves oblong: 

 pedicels longer than the obtuse sepals, the flowers larger. 



XV. RANUNCULACE.E. Crowfoot or Buttercup Family. 



Mostly herbs, with various habits and foliage: parts of the flower 

 typically all present, free and distinct, but there are some apetalous 

 and dioecious species: stamens many; pistils many or few, in the 

 former case becoming achenes and in the latter usually becoming folli- 

 cles. Upwards of 30 genera and 1,000-1,200 species. Characteristic 

 plants are buttercup, anemone, meadow-rue, marsh-marigold or 

 cowslip, adonis, clematis, larkspur, aconite, columbine, baneberry, 

 peony. Known from Rosacese by the hypogynous flowers. 



a. Plants not climbing: herbs. 



B. Fruits achenes, several or many from each flower. 



