PLATE 16. 



BLADDER CAMPION, Silene inflata, Smith. 



Other English names : Cow-bell, White Bottle. 



Other Latin names : Cucubalus Behen, L. ; Silene Cucubalus, Wibel. ; 

 Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke; Behen vulgaris, Moench. 



Introduced. Perennial, with deep running rootstocks, which send up 

 many barren shoots, and decumbent branched flowering stems. Whole plant 

 pale green and in the common form perfectly smooth. Stems 1 foot to 18 

 inches high, forming large tufts. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, in pairs, meeting 

 round the stems. Flowers white, nearly an inch across, drooping, the petals 

 deeply divided. Calyx much inflated, pale green, veined with light purple, 

 5-toothed at the contracted apex. Capsule globular-ovoid, included in the 

 calyx, opening by 5 short recurved teeth. Seeds [Plate 53, fig. 9 twice natu- 

 ral size and enlarged 8 times] round-kidney-shaped, about -^ of an inch across, 

 covered with concentric rows of small conical tubercles. The seeds of this 

 species and of Silene noctiflora and Lychnis alba are so similar that they can 

 be separated only by an expert. In many instances some seeds of one species 

 resemble those of one of the other two so much that they are indistinguishable. 

 In Plate 53, seeds of the three species have been represented which seemed 

 best to show the average characters of each. 



Time of Flowering : May to July ; seeds ripe in July. 

 Propagation : By seeds and running rootstocks. 



Occurrence : By roadsides, on railway banks and in hay fields, all 

 through the Eastern Provinces. 



Injury : The seeds are often found in clover and timothy seed. 



Remedy : This deep-rooted perennial is difficult to eradicate. Deep 

 ploughing and a short rotation of crops are necessary. Frequent cultiva- 

 tion with a broad-shared cultivator will be found very useful in holding this 

 pernicious weed in check. 



The young shoots of this plant have been used as a pot-herb, and are 

 said to be excellent, having the flavour of both asparagus and green peas. 



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