130 POPULAR FLOUA. 



herbs: some are insignificant weeds ; otliors have handsome flowers, and are oiiltivatcd for 

 ornament. They form two main sub-families, one containing tlie I'inks, tlie oilier the Chick- 

 weeds. For lark of room, only the principal genera can be given here, without the species, 

 •which are numerous. 



I. riNK Subfamily. Sepals united into a tube or cup. Petals with long claws, which are en- 

 closed in the tube of the calyx. The petals and the 10 stamens are generally raised ruore or less on a 

 stalk within the calyx. Pod many-seeded, opening at the top. Flowers mostly rather huge and showy. 



Calyx furnished with two or more scaly bractlets at the base. Styles 2, {Didntlws) * Pi>'k. 

 Calyx naked, i. e. without any bractlets at the base. 



Styles 2. Calyx cylindrical and even, {Saptmavia) Soatwokt. 



Styles 2. Calyx oblong and strongly 5-angled, ( Vuccaiia) Cowiiekb. 



Styles 3. Calyx 5-toothed, {Silune) Catchkly. 

 Styles 5. 



Calyx with short teeth, which are not leaf-like, {Lychnis) * Lychnis. 



Calyx with leafy lobes, which are longer than the petals, {Affrostenmia) Cockle. 



n. CHICKWEED Subfamily. Sepals separate or nearly so. Petals without claws, spreading, 

 sometimes wanting. Small or low herbs ; many are weeds. Flowers small, mostly white, except iu 

 Sand-Spurrey. 



Pod 3-celled, many-seeded. Petals none. Prostrate annual weed, (Mulliirjo) CAP.rExwEED. 



Pod one-celled, with several or many seeds. Styles 3 to 5. 

 Stipules or little scales between the leaves none. 

 Petals 2-cleft or parted, or notched at the end. 



Styles and petals 5. Pod opening by 10 teeth. ( Cerastium) Mouse-ear Chickvveed. 

 Styles 3 or 4. Pod splitting into valves, {Stellaria) CniCKWEED. 



Petals entire, not notched nor cleft. 



Stj-les 3, fewer than the petals, (Arenarin) Sandwort. 



St3'les 5 or 4, as many as the petals, {Sa(/via) Peaklwoi;t. 



Stipules in the form of scales between the bases of the leaves. 



Styles 3. Leaves not whorled. Petals purple, {Spergularia) Sand-Spurrey. 



Styles 5. Leaves iu whorls, narrow. Petals white, {SjK'i-c/ula) Spukkey. 



16. PURSLANE FAMILY. Order PORTULACACE.^. 



More or less fleshy herbs, with entire leaves, and flowers which open only in sunshine. 

 Sepals fewer than the petals (i. e. sepals 2, petals 5), with a stamen before each one, or 

 else with many stamens. Pod one-celled, with the seeds, like those of the Pink lamily, on 

 stalks rising from the base of the cell. Harmless and tasteless herbs; the Spring-Beauty 

 has handsome flowers in the spring in woods. The common Purslane is a well-known gar- 

 den weed and pot-herb, and the Great-flowered Purslane, with its cylindrical fleshy leaves 

 and large red or scarlet flowers, is a common ornamental annual in cultivation. 



Calyx 2-cleft, the tube united with the lower part of the ovary. Petals opening only 

 once. Stamens 7 to 20. Pod many-seeded, opeuing round the middle, the top 

 falling off as a lid. Annuals. {Portulaca) Purslane. 



