DECANDRIA PENTAGYNIA. Cerastium. 129 



Each petal cloven, crowned with four teeth. Capsule 

 of one cell. u. Flowers red. E. B, 1579- C. 2. 32, 

 L. diurna. Sb. 145. L. sylvestris rubello flore. G. 

 E. 469. /3. Fl. white. L. dioica. E. B. 1580. 

 L. vespertina. Sb. 146. 



Hedges, fields. 



Per. «. May. 0. June. 



Red fl,. Plant clothed with soft, prominent hairs, somewhat 

 clammy. Stem upright, round, jointed, leafy, eighteen inches to 

 two f., forked at top, panicled, spreading. Ls. upper stem- 

 leaves spear-shaped : lower, egg-shaped, soft, acute. Fl. scent- 

 less, witli partial stalks. Bract, somewhat membranous. Cal. 

 dark red, in stamen-bearing^,, tubular ; in pistil-bearing^., egg- 

 shaped. Pet. rose-coloured. Claws whitish, crown four-cleft. 

 V-ar. red double _^., in gardens, called Bachelor's Buttons. Sta- 

 mens and pistils in a pale var. sometimes in the same^. 



Var. white fl. Whole plant taller than the red var. Ls. more 

 spear-shaped. Fl. larger, white, or pale blush-coloured, fragrant 

 in the evening, or before rain. The intermediate veins between 

 the cal.-ribs of the pistil-bearing^., may discrim. from the red var. 



CERA'STIUM. Mouse-ear Chickweed. 



C. vidgatiim. Broad-leaved M. Hairy, clammy, tufted. 

 Leaves egg-shaped. Petals as long as the calyx. 

 Flowers longer than their stalks. E. B. 789- C. vis- 

 cosum. C. 2. S5, Sb. 



Fields, waste ground, dry banks. 



An. April. ~ 



Discrim. of this species from C. viscosum by its light green hue, 

 yellowish in decay, its broad egg-shaped Is., smaller^. Stems 

 more erect. Pet. white, notched, scarcely longer than the cal. 



O. viscosum. Narrow-leaved M. Hairy, clammy, lying 

 down. Leaves spear-shaped-oblong. E. B. 790. C. 

 vulgatum. C. 2. 34. Sb. 146. 



Meadows, pastures, waste ground, walls^ 

 Per. May. 



Not more clammy than C. vulgatum. 

 Discrim. from C. vulgatum, in being peren., by its recumbent-stems, 



darker green hue, narrower Is. Fructification larger, pet.. 



longer, more conspicuous. Fl. -stalks mostly longer. Seeds 



rugged. Cal.-ls. membranaceous, or skinny at the edge. 



C semidecandrum. Pentandrous M, Hairy, clammy. 

 Stamens five. Petals slightly cloven. E. B. 1630, 



C. 2. 33. 



K 



