CERASTIUM. XXIII. CARYOPHYLLACE^. 187 



TRIBE 1. ALSINEJE. 



Sepals distinct or nearly so. Petals without claws inserted on the outside of the 

 disk. Stamens inserted on the margin of the disk. 



1. STELLARIA. 



Lat. stella, a star : from the stellate or star like flowers. 



Sepals 5, connected at base ; petals 5. 2-parted ; stamens 10, rarely 

 fewer; styles 3, sometimes 4; capsule superior, 1 -celled, 3-valved, 

 many-seeded. Small grass-like herbs, in moist, shady places. Fls. in 

 forked cymes. 



1. S. MEDIA. Smith. (Alsine. Linn.} CMckweed. 



Lvs. ovate ; st. procumbent, with an alternate, lateral, hairy line ; sta. 

 3 5 or 10. A common weed in almost every situation N. of Mex., flowering 

 from the beginning of spring to the end of autumn. Stems prostrate, branched, 

 brittle, round, jointed, leafy, and remarkably distinguished by the hairy ridge 

 extending from joint to joint, in an alternate manner. Flowers small, white. 

 The seeds are eaten by poultry and the birds. 



2. S. LONGIPOLIA. Muhl. (S. graminea. BW.} 



Lvs. linear, entire; cyme terminal, spreading, with lanceolate, scarious 

 bracts ; col. 3-veined, about equal to the petals. U. S., N. to Arc. Circ. The 

 steins are of considerable length, very slender and brittle, supported on other 

 plants and bushes. Leaves alternate at base. Flowers in a divaricate, naked 

 cyme, very elegant, white, appearing in 10 segments like the other species. 

 Three acute, green veins singularly distinguish the sepals. Jn. Jl. 



3. S. PUBERA. Michx. 



St. decumbent, pubescent in one lateral or two opposite lines ; Ivs. ob- 

 long-oval, acute, sessile, somewhat ciliate ; fts. on short, filiform, recurved pedi- 

 cels. % In rocky places, Penn. and Ky. to Ga. Stem 6 12' long, often dif- 

 fusely spreading. Leaves 1 2J' by 4 10", with minute, scattered hairs. 

 Flowers ' diam., axillary and terminal, large, with 10 stamens and 3 styles. 

 Apr. Jn. 



4. S. LONGIPES. Goldie. (S. palustris. Rich. Micropetalon. Pers.) 

 Smooth and shining; st. more or less decumbent, with ascending 



branches ; Ivs. linear-lanceolate, broadest at base, acute ; peduncles and pedicels 

 filiform, cymose, with ovate, membranous bracts at base ; sep. with membran- 

 ous margins, obscurely 3-veined, scarcely shorter than the petals. Tj. Lake 

 shores, N. Y. ! and Mich. Petals white, 2-parted. Flowers in loose cymes, the 

 terminal peduncle, or the middle one, the longest. Jn. Aug. 



5. S. BOREALIS. Bigelow. (S. lanceolata. Torr. Micropetalon. Pers.) 

 St. weak, smooth ; Ivs. veinless, broad-lanceolate, acute ; ped. at length 



axillary, elongated, 1-flowered ; pet. 2-parted (sometimes wanting), about equal 

 to the veinless sepals. (J) Wet places. N. H., N. Y., N. to Artie Am. A spread- 

 ing flaccid plant. Stem 6 12 15' long, with diffuse cymes both terminal and 

 axillary. Leaves 8 15" long, 1-veined. Petals when present white, small, at 

 length about as long as the lanceolate, acute sepals. Capsules longer than the 

 calyx. Jn. Jl. 



6. S. AQUATICA. Pollich. (S. borealis. Darl^ 



Nearly glabrous ; st. slender, decumbent ; Ivs. oblong, acute, with mani- 

 fest veinlets ; sep. lanceolate, very acute, 3-veined, rather longer than the bifid 

 petals ; caps, ovoid, about equaling the calyx ; sty. 3. 1\. Swampy springs, Penn. 

 Dr. Darlington. Md. Dr. Robbins. Also Rocky Mts. A very slender plant, 

 6 12' long, with inconspicuous flowers. Leaves 6" by 2 3". May. 



2. CERASTIUM. Linn. 

 Gr. icspas , a horn ; from the resemblance of the capsules of some of the species. 



Calyx of 5, ovate, acute sepals ; corolla of 5 bifid petals ; stamens 



