CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 



[VOL. II. 



3. Cerastium vulgatum L,. Larger 

 Mouse-ear Cliickweed. (Fig. 1486.) 



Ceraslium rulgatum L. Sp. PI. Kd. 2, 627. 1762. 

 Cerastium triz'iale Link, Enutn. Hort. Ber. 1:433. 



1821. 

 Cerastium nscosum of Linnaeus Herb, and of many 



recent authors. 



Biennial or perennial, viscid-pubescent, tufted, 

 erect or ascending, 6 / -iS / long. Lower and basal 

 leaves spatulate-oblong, obtuse; upper leaves 

 oblong, 6"- 1 2" long, $"-5" wide, acute or ob- 

 tuse; bracts scarious-margined; inflorescence cy- 

 niose, loose, the pedicels at length much longer 

 than the calyx; sepals obtuse or acute, about 

 equalling the 2-cleft petals, 2 // ~3 // long; capsule 

 curved upward. 



In fields and woods, common throughout our area 

 and probably indigenous high northward, though 

 certainly in largo part naturalized from Europe. 

 Often a troublesome weed. Occurs also in tin- South- 

 ern and Western States, and is native iu northern 

 Asia. May-Sept. 



4. Cerastium longipedunculatum Muhl. Nodding Cliickweed. Powder-horn. 



(Fig. 1487.) 



( '. loiigifiednnculalum Muhl. Cat. 46. 1813. 

 Ceraslium niilanx Raf. Prec. Decouv. 36. 1814. 



Annual, bright green, stem weak, reclining 

 or ascending, diffusely branched, 6 / -24 / long, 

 striate, finely clammy-pubescent to glabrate. 

 Lower and basal leaves spatulate, obtuse, 

 petioled, ft'-i' long, those of the middle part 

 of the stem lanceolate or oblong, i'-2' long, 

 3 // -4 // wide, the upper similar, acute, sessile, 

 gradually smaller; inflorescence loosely cy- 

 mose; pedicels slender, in fruit several times 

 the length of the calyx; flowers 2 // -3" broad; 

 sepals lanceolate, obtuse or acutish, about 

 one-half the length of the 2-cleft petals; pods 

 nodding, 5' '-9" long, curved upward, much 

 exceeding the calyx. 



In moist, shaded places, Nova Scotia and Hud 

 son Hay to North Carolina, west to Hritish Co- 

 lumbia, Nevada and nortlu-rn Mexico. The 

 plant sometimes produces capsules from appar- 

 ently apetalous tlowei>. Ascends to 2200 ft. in 

 Pennsylvania. April -June. 



5. Cerastium brachypodum (Kngelm.) Robinson. Short-stalked Cliickweed. 



(Fig. 1488.) 



Ceraslium tin /mis var. braclivf>oilntn Kngelm. ; A. 



Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 94. 1867. 

 Ceraslium brack vfnnt inn Robinson; Hritton, Mem. 



Torr. Club, 5: 1.50. 1894. 



Annual, light green, viscid-pubescent or pu- 

 berulent all over, stems simple or sparingly 

 branched, tufted, erect, 3 / -io / tall. Lower and 

 basal leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, obtuse 

 or subacute at the apex, 3"- 12" long, narrowed 

 into short petioles, the upper linear or linear-ob- 

 long, acute, sessile, sometimes erect-appressed; 

 cymes terminal, few-several-flowered; flowers 

 about 2" broad; fruiting pedicels, or some of 

 them, deflexed, not more than twice as long as 

 the calyx; capsules straight or slightly curved 

 upward, 2-3 times as long as the calyx. 



In dry soil, southwestern Illinois and Missouri to 

 Nebraska, South Dakota and Colorado, south to 

 Texas, Ari/.ona and Mexico. March-July. 



