CARYOPHYLLACE.E 103 



Distribution. — Carpathians, Eastern, Central, and Western Alps ; 

 Jura (Reculet) ; Central and Western Pyrenees. From Spain to 

 Macedonia. 



Silene rupestris L. (Plate XV.) 



Stems dichotomously branched, ascending or erect, glabrous and 

 glaucous like the whole plant. Leaves lanceolate, narrowed at the 

 base, sessile ; upper leaves broader. Flowers milk-white or rose- 

 coloured. Petals emarginate, almost twice as long as the calyx. 



Rocky Alpine and sub-alpine situations, preferring granite and 

 siliceous rocks ; its counterpart on limestone being Gypsophila 

 repens. It extends up to 9000 feet. June to August. 



Distribution. — ^Eastem, Central, and Western Alps, Spain, 

 Pyrenees, Cevennes, Vosges, Corsica, Lapland, Scandinavia, Altai. 



Like many of the genus it is easily propagated from seed, and, 

 disliking lime, it should have plenty of grit or granite chips. 



Silene nutans L. Nottingham Catchfly. 



Stock tufted, with a rather thick top-root, short, procumbent, 

 barren shoots, and erect flowering stems, 1-2 feet high, more or less 

 hoary with short hairs and viscid in the upper part. Lower leaves 

 oblong-obovate, pointed, narrowed into a long stalk ; stem-leaves 

 few, narrow, and sessile. Flowers nodding in a loose panicle, 3 or 5 

 together on short opposite peduncles. Calyx tubular, 8-12 mm. 

 long. Petals white or greenish underneath, deeply 2-cleft, with 

 long claws, the style and stamens projecting Ijeyond the flower. 



Hilly or stony pastures, rocky and waste places by roadsides ; 

 very common. June, July. 



Distribution. — Nearly all Europe, Russian Asia to the Arctic 

 Circle. British. 



It is a common plant in the sub-alpine region, and we once found 

 the var. spathulafolia Bumat as high as 8000 feet, near La Grave 

 in Dauphiny. 



Silene cordifolia AU. 



A pubescent-viscous and leafy species, with ascending stems, 

 about 10 inches high. Leaves ovate-acuminate, the upper ones 

 larger and heart-shaped at base. Flowers white or pink, shortly 

 peduncled, erect, I-4 on the branches. Calyx broad, with 10 nerves 

 and linear-lanceolate teeth. Petals deeply 2-cleft, often reflexed. 

 Capsule oblong, twice as long as the glabrous carpophore. 



Rocks and screes of the Alpine and sub-alpine region in the French 

 and Italian Maritime Alps ; rare. July, August. 



Silene vallesia L. 



A robust but dwarf pubescent-glandular species. Stems 4-6 

 inches high, 1-3 flowered, leafy. Leaves lanceolate acute ; stem- 

 leaves sessile ; root-leaves narrowed into a petiole. Calyx tubular, 



