102 CARYOPHYLLACE^. Silene. 



vate, very obtuse, erosely crenulate, emarginate. — Miclix.fl. 1. p. 272 ; Pursh, fl. \. p. 316 ; 

 Ell. sJt. 1. p. 516 ; Torr.fl. 1. p. 450 ; Bigel. fl. Boat. p. 183; DC. prodr. l.p. 380 ; Bot. 

 reg. t. 247 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 192. S. Caroliniana, Walt. fl. Car. p. 142. S. 

 Virginica, Willd. sp. 2. p. 702 ? S. platypetala, Otth in DC. 1. p. 383. 



Root fusiform, perennial. Stems 6-10 inches high, erect, or dechned at the base. Radical 

 leaves 2-4 inches long, and 3-5 lines wide at the broadest part, with a long tapering base. 

 Calyx clavate, at length ventricose above, purplish, very viscid ; the teeth short and rather 

 obtuse. Stamens mostly included. Petals bright purplish-red, sometimes rose-color or al- 

 most white, spreading. 



Dry rocky places. May - June. Common in the southern part of the State. 



5. Silene Virginica, Linn. Virginia Catckfly. 



Viscidly pubescent ; stem simple ; radical leaves spatulate, with ciliate petioles ; cauline 

 ones oblong-lanceolate ; cyme several-flowered, loose ; petals narrowly oblong, bifid. — Linn, 

 syst. 2. p. 311 (in part); Michx. fl. 1. p. 272 (in part); Ell. sk. 1. p. 516; Torr.fl. 1. 

 p. 450 ; DC. prodr. 1. p. 380 ; Torr. cj- Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 192. S. Catcsbaji, Walt. fl. 

 Car. 1. p. 142; DC. I. c. 



Root horizontal, perennial. Stem mostly erect, 1-2 feet high, branching above. Leaves 

 2-4 inches long and 3-6 lines wide, rather acute ; petioles strongly ciliate. Flowers 

 larger than in the preceding species. Calyx campanulate-cylindrical, at length ventricose ; 

 teeth lanceolate, acute. Petals crimson ; the lamina more than twice as long as broad, con- 

 spicuously 2-clcft at the summit. 



Yates county {Dr. Sartwell) ; the only known locality of this handsome species in the State. 

 It is .sometimes employed in the Western States (where it is common) as an anthelmintic ; 

 but its virtues are probably very feeble. See Wood <^ Bache's U. S. Dispens. app. 1087. 



8. LYCHNIS. Tourn.; Endl. gen. 5250. lychnis. 



[ From the Greek, lychnos, a lamp ; the cotton-like suhstance on the leaves of some species having been used for the 



wicks of lamps.] 



Calyx tubular, 5-loolhed, without scales at the base. Petals 5, with slender claws, mostly 

 crowned. Stamens 10. Styles 5. Capsule one-celled, or 5-celled at the base. 



* GiTiiAGO, Dcsf. Calyx cijlindrical-cam'panulalc, coriaceous ; kelh very long : ovary mthmd a siipe. 



1. Lychnis Githago, Lam. Cockle. Corn-cockle. Rose Campion. 



Hairy: stem dichotomous ; flowers on long peduncles; leaves linear. — DC. prodr. 1. 

 p. 387 ; Torr. <^ Gr.fl. N. Am. 1. p. 194. Agrostcmma Githago, Linn. ; Eng. bot. t. 576 ; 

 Torr. fl.l. p.46l ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 281. 



Plant pale green, annual. Flowers large, bright purple, not crowned : limb obcordate. 



Common in cultivated fields, particularly among wheat and rye. June. Introduced from 

 Europe. 



