CAEXOPHTLLACE^. 127 



range in Scotland, and other mountains to the northward ; recorded also 

 from near Bantry, in Ireland. Fl. summer. 



XI. STARTVORT. STELLARIA. 



Annuals or perennials, generally more glabrous than the Cerasts, the 

 leaves usually pointed, and often cordate, the sepals more pointed and less 

 distinctly scarious at the edge. Sepals 5. Petals 5, deeply bifid. Stamens 

 10, occasionally reduced to 5 or fewer. Styles 3, or rarely 5. Capsule open- 

 ing to the middle, or lower down in as many or twice as many valves. 



A large genus, extending, like the Cerasts, over nearly the whole geo- 

 grapliical range of the family, and generally a natural one, although some 

 species, espeeiahy tlie Chiclcweed and bog Starworts, have all the appearance 

 of the three-nerved Sandwort, and can only be distinguished by a close in- 

 spection of the minute petals and capsules. Most species of Starmort may 

 be met with occasionally, though rarely, without any petals at all. 



Lower leaves stalked, ovate or heart-shaped. 

 Petals much longer than the calyx. 



Five styles in most of the flowers 1. Water 8. 



Three styles 2. Wood S. 



Petals shorter, or scarcely longer than the calyx. 



Lower leaves ovate, cordate, on long stalks 3. Chickweed 8. 



All the leaves narrowed at the base, sessile or shortly stalked . . 4. Bog S, 

 All the leaves narrow-lanceolate or linear, and sessile or nearly so. 

 Petals shorter, or scarcely longer than the calyx. 



Plant annual. Leaves oblong or lanceolate, short 4. Bog 8. 



Stock perennial. Leaves narrow-lanceolate or linear 5, Leaser 8. 



Petals considerably longer than the calyx. 



Leaves very narrow. Sepals distinctly three-nerved 6. Glaucous 3, 



Leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate. Nerves of the sepals 



scarcely perceptible 7. Greater 8, 



1. ^Vater Star^rort. Stellaria aquatica, Scop. 

 {Cerastium, Eng. Bot. t. 538. Malachium, Brit. El.) 



A perennial with much of the habit and the heart-shaped leaves of the 

 wood S., but on a rather larger scale, usually more pubescent, and slightly 

 viscid, the flowers smaller, and always known by all or most of the flowers 

 having 5 styles, and the capsule opening in 5 valves, which are entire or 

 shortly bifid, seldom deeply cleft as in the other Starivorts. Stems weak, 

 often a foot or more in length. Lower leaves small, on long stalks, upper 

 ones more sessUe or stem-clasping, often 1 to 2 inches long, thin and flaccid, 

 with a prominent midrib, and very pointed. Elowers in the forks of leafy 

 cymes, the pedicels turned down after flowering. Sepals about 2 lines long 

 at the time of flowering, enlarged when in fniit. Petals narrow, deeply 

 cleft, about one-half longer than the calyx. 



In wet places, along ditches and streams, etc., very widely diffused over 

 Europe, and Russian and central Asia, except the extreme north, and migra- 

 ting with man to several other parts of the world. Not common in Britain, 

 although found in most English counties, as far north as Yorkshire and 

 Cheshire, and beUeved to have been found in Ireland. Fl. summer. The 

 flowers have occasionally, but seldom, only 3 styles. 



2. MTood Starvvort. Stellaria nemorum, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 92.) 

 Kootstock creeping, of some years' duration. Stems weak, emitting 



h 



