SPERMATOPHYTA CARYOPHYLLACEAE 



437 



segments with scarious margins; petals white or pink, slightly emarginate, larger 

 than the calyx. 



Distribution. Native to Europe and Asia. From Manitoba to Nebraska. 



Poisonous properties. Used in medicine as a detergent. An allied G. Stru- 

 thium contains Sapotoxin and the glucoside saponin. It is an acrid poison. 



2. Silene L. Catchfly 



Herbs with pink or white flowers, solitary or borne in cymes; calyx more 

 or less inflated and five-toothed ; petals 5, narrow and clawed ; stamens 10 ; 

 styles 3, rarely 4 or 5; ovary 1-celled or incompletely 2- to 4-celled; pod 1-celled, 

 dehiscent by 6, apical teeth ; seeds roughened. 



About 250 species of wide distribution. Several like sweet William (S. 

 Armeria) are cultivated for ornamental purposes. The starry campion (S. stel- 

 lata) of our prairies and thickets might well be cultivated more than it is. 



Silene lati folia (Mill.) Britten & Rendle. Bladder Campion 



A branched perennial, a foot or more high, with opposite glaucus ovate 

 lanceolate leaves; flowers in loose cymose panicles; calyx bladdery, inflated; 

 petals 2-cleft, white ; seed roughened. 



Fig. 213. Night flowering 

 Catchfly (Silene noctiflora). 

 (After Fitch.) 



Fig. 212. Deptford Pink (Di- 

 anthus Armeria). Frequently 

 cultivated for ornamental pur- 

 pose. (Charlotte M. King.) 



