81) ENGLISH BOTANY. 



Var. |3, holostoidcs. Fries. 



Perennial. Flowers decandrous. Stem puljescent in \\\o 

 opposite strips only, the pubescence clianging places witli the 

 intervening glabrous strips at each internode. Calyx glabrous. 



Var. y, pentandrum. 



Annual. Small, with the flowers pentandrous, and the capsule 

 shorter than in var. a and 0. Stem and calyx as in var. a. 



In dry places, etc. Very common throughout Britain. Var. 

 I have only seen from near Newcastle. Var, y principally on the 

 seacoast. 



Eootstock* usually present, slender, branched, producing barren 

 shoots and flowering stems. Stems branched at the base, where 

 they are decumbent, then erect or ascending, 3 to 15 inches high. 

 Barren slioots 2 to G inches long, forming lax tufts, with leaves 

 •| to 1 inch long, narrowed at the base, and usually crowded together, 

 especially towards the tei'mination of the shoot. Stem-leaves (except 

 the lowest) not narrowed at the base, shorter than those of the 

 barren shoots, generally rather acute. Cyme lax, at least when in 

 fruit. Sepals quite blunt, with few or none of the hairs terminated 

 by glands, and those towards the apex not passing beyond the end 

 of the sepal. Capsule usually long and curved, forming an obtuse 

 angle with the pedicel. Whole plant (in var. a and y) covered with 

 white hairs not terminated by glands, colour deep dull-green. An 

 alpine variety has the petals twice as long as the calyx ; but of this 

 I have seen no British specimens. Var. /3 is remarkable for being 

 nearly glabrous. Var. y is much like C. pumilum ; but the absence 

 of the gland-tipped hairs, and the blunt sejials, prevent its being 

 confounded with that plant. 



Mr. Bentham considers that C. tetrandrum, C. pumilum, C. semi- 

 dccandrum, C. glomeratum, and C. triviale are only varieties of one 

 species, to which he applies the name of C. vulgatum. 



Narrow-leaved Mouse-ear Chiclcioeed. 



French, Ceraiste Trivial. German, Gemeines Ilornh-aut. 



SPECIES VII.— C ERASTIUM ALPINUM. Linn. 

 Plate CCXXIII. 

 Root perennial, rootstock producing numerous short procum- 

 bent barren shoots and sub-geniculate ascending and somewhat 



* The term " rootstock" is applied here to that part of the base of the stem which 

 js destitute of <Treen leaves. 



