PINK FAMILY. Caryophyllaceae. 



The commonest weed of Europe, most 

 OniCK\vccQ 



steiiaria media widely 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 man}' 

 branches, the stem with rough angles, 

 and the light green leaves small and lance- 

 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- 

 shaped leaves widest just above their base, 

 a four-angled stem, and white flov.-ers 

 with deeply cleft petals. 12-18 inches 

 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= ^.^^^^^ fields, naturalized from Europe, but 

 ear Chickweed 

 Cerasfiuni 



Long=Ieaved 



Stitchwort 



Steiiaria 



longifolia 



White 



May-July 



Lesser 

 Stitchwort 



Stella ria 

 iiramiiiea 

 White 

 May-July 



vulyatinn 

 White 

 May- 

 September 



Field 

 Chickweed 



Cerastiuni 

 arvense 

 White 

 April-July 



Mo., Neb. 



probably indigenous in the farther north. 

 Stem hairy and clammy, leaves oblong. 

 The somewhat loosely clustered white 

 flowers with two-cleft petals, but with 

 short sepals. 6-15 inches high. 



A low, rather large-flowered, handsome 

 species, the broad petals also deeply cleft, 

 the sepals very short, the stems downy or 

 smooth, and the leaves rather broad lin- 

 ear. 4-10 inches high. In drj^ or rocky 

 situations. Me., south to Ga., and west to 

 and Cal. 



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