STELLARIA. 



79 



and each terminates in a flower, leaving the first flower in 

 the fork ; 3d, the same process is repeated in each of these 

 branches, the 2 secondary flowers being left below, each in 

 a fork like the first, and so on to the last. Thus the central 

 flower is the oldest, and the inflorescence is centrifugal. 



The Flower may always be seen when the sun is shin- 

 ing, looking like a little star among the green leaves. It is 

 regular, perfect, 5-parted, pedunculate. The green, hairy 



FIG. XVTI. Stellaria 

 media : 1, a flower ; 2, 

 calyx with fruit ; 3, sec- 

 tion of a flower ; 6, sta- 

 mens and pistil ; 5, seeds 

 heaped on the placenta ; 

 4, section of a seed. 



calyx is larger than the white corolla. The sepals are lance- 

 olate and quite distinct from one another. The petals are 

 each deeply 2-cleft (bifid), so as to appear as if there were 

 1 0. The ovary is ovoid, surmounted by 3 sessile stigmas, 

 and surrounded by the stamens, which are normally 10, each 

 standing on a honey gland. But these little flowers assume 

 large liberty ; often, nay generally, their stamens are reduced 



