SteUaria] CARYOPHYLLE.E. 49 



petals inversely heart-shaped, shorter than the taper-pointed 

 calyx, which is nearly as long as the capsule. (Smith.) Br. 

 Fl. 1. p. 214. E. Fl. v. ii. p. 332. Saqina cerastoides, E. Bot. 

 t. 166. 



Waste grounds, walls, and sandy places, especially near the sea. 

 Hill of Howth, on the Sutton side, where it was first observed, above 

 thirty years ago, by the late Mr. Underwood. Fl. May, June. 0. 

 Herb light green. Stems several, spreading, two to six inches high. 

 Leaves elliptic-oblong. Petals four, white. 



* ajc Petals longer than the calyx. 



5. C. arvense, Linn. Field Chickweed. Leaves linear-lan- 

 ceolate, more or less pubescent, especially near the base, twice 

 as long as the calyx. Br. Fl. 1. p. 214. E. Fl. v. ii. p. 333. 

 E.Bot.t. 93. 



Dry, sandy, and gravelly places. Plentiful between Clontarf and 

 Howth, and many other places along the coast. Fl. June, July. 1. 

 Stems branched and decumbent at the base, a span long, slender. 

 Flowers large, pearl white, two or three on terminal stalks. Capsules 

 scarcely longer than the calyx. 



6. C. aquaticum, Linn. Water Chickweed. Upper leaves cor- 

 dato-ovate ; flowers solitary ; fruit pendulous. Br. Fl. 1. p. 215. 

 E. Fl. v. ii. p. 335. E. Bot. t. 538. 



Sides of rivers and ditches. Fl. July. 1. I have not seen Irish 

 specimens of this plant, but the Rev. Dr. Hincks assures me that there 

 are specimens of it in the Herbarium of the Cork Institution, ga- 

 thered on the banks of the river Lee. Stems one to two feet long, 

 branched and straggling. Leaves large, lower ones only on footstalks, 

 with short scattered hairs on their surface and margins. The capsule 

 opens with five teeth or valves. 



11. STELLARIA. Linn. Stitehwort. 



Calyx of 5 sepals. Petals 5, deeply cloven. Capsules opening 

 with 6 teeth, many-seeded. Name from Stella, a star ; be- 

 cause the corolla is spread in a star-shaped like manner. 



Decandria. Trigynia. 



1. S. media, With. Common Chickweed or Stitehwort. Leaves 

 ovate ; stems procumbent with an alternate line of hairs on one 

 side ; petals 2-parted ; stamens 5 10. Br. Fl. 1. p. 204. E. 

 Fl. v. ii. p. 301. E. Bot. t. 211. Alsine media, Linn. 



Road-sides and waste places, abundant. Fl. almost the whole year. 

 0. Stem with alternate lines of hairs between each pair of leaves, by 

 which the species is admirably distinguished. Leaves on footstalks, 

 except the uppermost ; glabrous. Flowers small, white, on solitary 

 axillary and terminal stalks. It is frequently given to birds, who are 

 fond of its seeds. 



F 



