140 



CARYOPHYLLACEAE (PINK FAMILY) 



five oblong, pointed hairy sepals, joined at their bases. Stamens 

 three to seven and styles three or four. Capsule ovoid, 

 longer than the calyx and opening at the apex by six or eight 

 teeth, or twice as many as the styles. Seeds very numerous, 

 round, brown, flattened, roughened with rows of small tubercles. 

 (Fig. 91.) 



Means of control 



In gardens, constant hoeing or hand-weeding, while the plants are 

 young, is necessary in order to suppress this weed ; but among crops 

 that will not be injured by the treatment, such as peas, strawberries, 

 and grain, a spray of Iron sulfate will kill young Chickweed. 



FIG. 92. Field 

 Mouse-ear Chick- 

 weed (Cerastium 

 arvense). X \. 



FIELD MOUSE-EAR CHICKWEED 

 Cerastium arvense, L. 



Native. Perennial. Propagates by seeds and 



by rootstocks. 



Time of bloom : April to July. 

 Seed-time : May to August. 

 Range: Labrador to Alaska, southward to 



Georgia, Missouri, and California. 

 Habitat : Dry, rocky places, usually on hills in 



the southern part of its range, but in the 



North invading pastures and meadows. 



A plant which is in many places cultivated 

 for its beauty, the white, starry flowers being 

 more than a half-inch broad, borne in graceful 

 terminal clusters. But its creeping rootstocks 

 make it difficult to keep within bounds, as every 

 joint is capable of forming a new plant. (Fig. 

 92.) 



Stems densely tufted, erect, slender, downy 

 or sometimes nearly smooth, four to ten inches 

 tall, simple or with few branches. Leaves rather 

 thick, linear oblong to lance-shaped or the 

 lower ones somewhat spatulate. Sepals lance- 

 shaped, the deeply notched white petals more 

 than twice as long. Stamens ten or fewer; 



