PINK FAMILY. Caryophyllacex. 



. The commonest weed of Europe, most 



Steiiaria media wi dely distributed through North Amer- 

 White ica, but possibly indigenous in the farther 



April-October north. A weak-stemmed low-lying an- 

 nual, with small ovate pointed light green leaves, slightly 

 woolly stems, and minute white flowers with five petals 

 almost cleft in twain, and five larger green sepals much 

 longer than the petals. 2-4 inches high. On damp 

 ground everywhere. An especial favorite of birds and 

 chickens. 



A tall very slender species with many 

 Long=leaved . . .*. 



Stitchwort branches, the stem with rough angles, 



Steiiaria and the light green leaves small and lance- 



longifolia shaped. The tiny flowers like white stars, 



with five white petals so deeply cleft that 



they appear as ten, sepals nearly equalling 



the petals in length. 10-20 inches high. In wet grassy 



places everywhere. Reported in Neb. (Webber). 



A similar species with smaller lance- 

 Stitchwort shaped leaves widest just above their base, 

 Steiiaria a four-angled stem, and white flowers 



graminea with deeply cleft petals. 12-18 inches 



White high. In fields and grassy waysides from 



Me. to western N. Y. and N. J. Intro- 

 duced from Europe, but said to be indigenous in Canada. 

 A bothersome weed common in culti- 

 Larger Mouse- vate( j fields, naturalized from Europe, but 

 ear Chickweed , ,, . ,. A , ,, 



Cerastium probably indigenous m the farther north. 



vulgatum Stem hairy a'nd clammy, leaves oblong. 



White The somewhat loosely clustered white 



Ma y- flowers with two-cleft petals, but with 



short sepals. 6-15 inches high. 



A low, rather large-flowered, handsome 

 Chickweed species, the broad petals also deeply cleft, 

 Cerastium the sepals very short, the stems downy or 

 arvense smooth, and the leaves rather broad lin- 



White ear> 4_io inches high. In dry or rocky 



April-July situations. Me., south to Ga., and west to 

 Mo., Neb., and Cal. 



