CARYOPHYLLACEAE 



PINK FAMILY 



STARRY CAMPION 



Silene stellata (L.) Ait. f. 



The Starry Campion is another Catchfly but in this 



case it is the calyx rather than a portion of the stem that 



is glutinous. Peculiar markings under the bark of the 



root evidently suggested the skin 



of a snake to the members of 



certain Indian tribes, who used 



the plant as an antidote for snake 



bite. 



This perennial dwells in 

 woods and especially wooded 

 slopes from Minnesota to 

 Arkansas and east to Mass- 

 achusetts, and blooms from 

 June to August. It is 

 common in such locations 

 practically throughout 

 Illinois. 



The yellowish green 

 leayes, fringed at the mar- 

 gins with very fine hairs, 

 are arranged in whorls 

 of 4 except near the top 

 and sometimes at the 

 base, where they are in 

 pairs. The 2-4-foot stem 

 is densely covered with very short hairs and is enlarged con- 

 spicuously at each whorl of leaves. 



The common name comes from the beautiful white flowers, 

 the 5 petals of which are deeply fringed at the base and are 

 crownless. They open in the evening and close when the sun 

 becomes bright the next day. The bell-shaped, 5-toothed calyx 

 is inflated like a bladder and often stained reddish. The 10 

 stamens extend well beyond the petals; the pistil consists of an 

 ovary and 3 styles. The fruit is a many-seeded pod about the 

 length of the calyx, opening by 6 teeth at the end. 



"Small horbs have graco. groat woods do grow apaco :" 



And sinco. mothinks, I would not grow so fast. 



Because swoot tlowors are slow and wcmmIs make, ha^sto. 



King Riclmnl III — Shakespkarb 



87 



