CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 



12. Silene noctiflora L. 



[Voi,. ii. 



Night-flowering 

 Catchfly. (Fig. 1451.) 



Silene noctiflora L,. Sp. PI. 419. 1753. 



Annual, stout, viscid-pubescent, simple, or branching, 

 i-3 high. Lower and basal leaves obovate or oblanceo- 

 late, 1'-$' long, obtuse, narrowed into a broad petiole; 

 upper leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acute or acuminate, 

 i '-3' long; flowers few, pedicelled, white or pinkish, 8"- 

 12" broad, in a loose dichotouious panicle; calyx io // - 

 15" long, tubular, lo-nerved and beautifully veined, 

 much enlarged by the ripening pod, its teeth linear, 

 acute; petals 2-clcft. 



In waste places, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to Mani- 

 toba, south to Florida and Missouri. Adventive from Europe. 

 Flowers opening at dusk and remaining so until UK- morning 

 of the next day, fragrant. July-Sept. 



13. Silene Anglica L. English or Small-flowered Catchfly. (Fig. 1452.) 



Silene Anglica I,. Sp. PI. 416. i 

 Silene Gallica L. Sp. PI. 417. 1753. 



Annual, hirsute-pubescent, stem slender, usually 

 erect, simple or branched, i-2 high. Leaves spatu- 

 late or oblanccolate, 6 // -2 / long, obtuse, sometimes 

 mucronate, narrowed into a margined petiole, or the 

 upper ones narrower and acute; flowers in a terminal 

 simple i-sided spicate raceme, nearly sessile or the 

 lower ones distant and longer-pedicelled, sometimes 

 all distinctly pedicelled; calyx cylindric or oblong- 

 tubular iu flower, lo-ncrved, villous, 4 // -5 // long, 

 much enlarged by the ripening pod and becoming 

 ovoid with a contracted throat, its teeth lanceolate, 

 spreading; petals toothed, entire or somewhat 2-cleft, 

 white, somewhat longer than the calyx. 



In waste places, Maine to Ontario, south to southern 

 New York ami 1't iui-\ Ivania. Adventive from Kurope. 

 Extensively naturalized as a weed on the Pacific C<>a-t. 

 and widely distributed in nearly all warm temperate re- 

 gions. Has been mistaken for 5. nocturna I,. April-July. 



14. Silene dichotoma Khrh. Forked 

 Catchfly. (Fig. 1453.) 



Silene dichotoma Khrh. Bekr. 7: 143. 1792. 

 Silene racemosa Otth in DC. Prodr. x: 384. 1*2}. 



Annual, erect, branching, pubescent, i-2 high. 

 Lower and basal leaves lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2' 

 3' long, acuminate or acute, tapering into a villous 

 petiole; upper leaves sessile, lanceolate or linear^ 

 flowers white, sessile or very short- pedicelled, distant 

 in forking i-sided spikes; calyx cylindric, 6 // -8 // long, 

 hirsute, much enlarged by the ripening pod, its teeth 

 ovate-lanceolate, acute; petals white, bifid, with a 

 short obtuse crown. 



In fields and waste places, Maine to New Jersey and 

 Pennsylvania. Also in California. Adventive from 

 southern Europe. Summer. 



