100 DECANDIIIA PENTAGYNIA. 



flower white, streaked; stamens all simple. Common Wood* 

 sorrel* 



Hab. Woods and deans, common. April, May. I/. 



The leaves of this pretty unobtrusive flower droop at night, 

 and close against rain. They are powerfully and most 

 agreeably acid, making a refreshing and wholesome con- 

 serve with fine sugar, its flavour resembling green tea. 

 Boiled with milk they make an agreeable whey, which 

 may be used in inflammatory diseases, in which vegetable 

 acids are beneficial. They also afford the *' essential salt 

 of lemons," used to take iron-moulds out of linen. 



139. LYCHNIS. 



1. L. Flos-Cuculi, stem quandrangular, rough with deflexed 

 bristles; leaves lanceolate; flowers rose-coloured, loosely pa- 

 nicled ; petals in four linear segments ; capsule roundish, of one 

 cell. Meadow Lychnis. 



Hab. Moist meadows, frequent. June. 2/ 



2. L. diurna, stem round, pubescent; leaves ovate, acute; 

 flowers in a terminal many-forked panicle, rose-coloured, dice- 

 cious ; the petals cloven, crowned with four teeth ; capsule one- 

 celled, roundish. Red Campion. (L. dioica, . SMITH.) 



Hab. Very abundant on our sea-banks, and frequent in 

 bushy deans, where it proves highly ornamental. May, 

 June. 7/ 



3. L. vespertina, stem round, pubescent ; leaves ovate-lanceo- 

 late ; flowers in a terminal forked panicle, white ; capsule one- 

 celled, conical. White Campion. (L. dioica, /3. SMITH.) 



Hab. Hedge sides and cultivated fields, common. July 

 Oct. % 



It may be difficult, or impossible, to find a technical specific- 

 character between this and the preceding ; but I would 

 rather consider this a proof of the occasional non-existence 

 of such distinctive characters, than believe the plants to be 

 merely varieties. The one flowers from four to six weeks 

 earlier than the other ; they affect different localities, and 

 are never found intermixed ; they are riot altered by 

 cultivation ; and their general habit is not alike, the red 

 being a stouter and fuller flowered plant, its blossoms ex- 



