CARYOPHYLLACE^. 205 



greenish white ; bracts deciduous. A slender plant, with inconspicuous 

 flowers, 3'-4' high. On dry hills. July-October. 



2. P. PAUCIFOLIA (Fringed Polygala). Stem erect, simple, leafy at 

 summit ; leaves ovate, entire, petiolate ; flowers 2-3, large and handsome, 

 I' long, deep rose-color, on pedicels nearly i' long, crested ; radical flowers 

 wingless ; crest inconspicuous, purple ; rhizoma creeping and branching. A 

 handsome plant, in low woods and swamps. May. 



Order XIV. CARYOPHYLLACE^E (Pink Family). 



Herbs. Leaves opposite, entire, sometimes verticillate. Flow- 

 ers regular. Sepals 4, or 5, sometimes coherent in a tube. Petals 

 4, or 5, or none. Stamens as many, or twice as many, as the 

 petals, rarely only 2 or 3. Ovary mostly I -celled. Styles 2-5. 

 Fruit a i -celled utricle, or a capsule, 2-5-valved, or opening at top 

 by twice as many valves, or teeth, as there are stigmas. 



f Calyx with scales at base Dianthus. 



f Sepals forming a tube f Styles 2 Saponaria. 



[ No scales -I Styles 3 Silene. 



1. Styles 5 Lychnis. 



Sepals united f Capsule i-celled Scleranthus. 



Capsule 3-celled Mullugo. 

 Petals entire f Stipules-^^/*. 



at the base 



(r none)- f Styles 3-A renaria. 



No stipules 



t-1 



f Styles vA nychia. 



[ Petals 2-cleft \ Styles ^-^Stellaria. 

 t Styles 5 Cerastium. 



I. Silene. Calyx tubular, swelling, 5-toothed. Petals 5, unguicu- 

 late. Stamens 10. Styles 3. Capsule 3-celled, many-seeded, opening 

 at the top by 6 teeth. y. 



1. S. ARMERIA (Garden Catchfly}. Very glabrous; stem erect, branch- 

 ing, glutinous ; leaves ovate-lanceolate ; flowers purple, in cymes, numer- 

 ous ; petals obcordate, crowned ; calyx clavate, lo-striate. A common 

 garden flower, i2'-i8' high. July-September. 



2. Lychnis. Calyx .tubular, 5-toothed. Petals 5, unguiculate ; 

 claws slender. Stamens 10. Styles 5. Capsule i -celled or 5-celled 

 at base. 11 



i. L. GITHAGO (Corn-cockle}. Stem dichotomous, hirsute; leaves pale 

 green, sessile, soft-hairy ; flowers few, light purple, on long peduncles. A 

 handsome weed, 1-3 feet high, in cultivated grounds. July. 



