642 STEILARIA. [CLASS X. ORDER III. 



a solitary flower, or two or tliree on slender peduncles, bairy all over, 

 and somewhat glutinous. Zeaw* opposite, sessile, oblong, lanceolate, 

 acute, witb a callous point, the upper ones sub-ovate, acute, the lower 

 ones obtuse, tapering to the base, spreading, entire, with a mid-rib, 

 and quite smooth, or hairy. Floivers large, white, erect, when in fruit 

 drooping. Calyx ef five lanceolate obtusely pointed segments, with a 

 narrow membranous margin and downy mid-rib. Petals nearly as 

 long again as the calyx, deeply cloven. Stamens with slender fila- 

 ments, and small ovate anthers. Styles short, with downy stigmas, 

 three, sometimes four or five. Capsule nearly as long again as the 

 calyx, cylindrical, smooth, opening at the apex with six teeth, but 

 sometimes with eight or ten, double the number of the styles. Seeds 

 numerous, brown, roughish. 



Habitat — On the mountains of Scotland, especially the Breadalbane 

 range, and on a high mountain near Bantry, Ireland. — Miss Hut- 

 chinson. 



Perennial ; flowering in July and August. 



This species is remarkable, as seeming to unite the genus Stellaria 

 with that of Cerastium ; its round stem with an alternate hairy line, 

 will closely connect it with the following species, while its styles, being 

 sometimes five, and the capsule with ten valves, seem to unite it witb 

 the Cerastiums, with which also it agrees in habit. 



Sect. 3. Intermedia. Capsule separating to the middle or below 

 into six valves ; columella very short ; stem round. 



3. S. me'dia. Withering. (Fig. 731.) Common Chickweed, or Stitch- 

 wort. Stem procumbent at the base, round, with an alternate hairy 

 line ; leaves ovate, acuminate, above sessile, below petiolated ; flowers 

 lateral and terminal ; calyx with lanceolate obtusely pointed segments, 

 longer than the deeply bifid petals. 



English Botany, t. 537. — English Flora, vol. ii, p. 301. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 207. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 52. 



Root small, tapering. Stems slender, procumbent at the base, and 

 rooting, branched and spreading, brittle, with a central tough fibre, 

 round, with a lateral hairy line, alternating from one leaf to another.. 

 Leaves opposite, ovate, acute, entire, paler beneath, with a single mid- 

 rib, smooth, ciliated on the margins towards the base, rarely scattered 

 over with hairs, the upper ones sessile, the lower with broad longish 

 footstalks, ciliated on the margin, or smooth. Floivers small, white, 

 axillary, and solitary, sometimes crowded at the top of the stem, each 

 on a slender peduncle, with a lateral hairy line, erect, or spreading 

 when in flower, reflexed in fruit. Calyx in five lanceolate obtusely 

 pointed segments, with a narrow membranous margin, a slender mid- 

 rib, and obscure lateral veins, more or less downy or smooth. Petals 

 as long or shorter than the calyx, deeply cleft into two narrow lobes. 

 Stamens with slender filaments and roundish anthers, ten, but some- 

 times only five. Styles short, with obtuse stigmas. Capsule cylin- 



