64 



CARYOPHYLLACEAE. 



Vol. II. 



4. Silene latifolia (Mill.) Britten & Rendle. Bladder Campion. Fig. 1804. 



Cucubalus Behen L. Sp. PI. 414. 1753. Not Silene 



Behen L. 

 Cucubalus latifolius Mill. Gard. Diet. Ed. 8, no. 2. 



1768. 

 Behen vulgaris Moench, Meth. 709. 1794. 

 S. vulgaris Garcke, Fl. Deutsch. Ed. 9, 64. 1869, 

 Silene inflata J. E. Smith, Fl. Brit. 2: 292. 1800. 

 5'. latifolia Britten & Rendle, List Brit. Seed-Plants 



5. 1907. 



Perennial, branched from the base, glaucous 

 and glabrous, or rarely pubescent, 6'-i8' high. 

 Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate or oblong, 

 acute, variable in size, the lower often spatulate ; 

 flowers white, 6"-io" broad, in loose cymose 

 panicles, often drooping; calyx at first tubular- 

 campanulate, at length inflated and globose, 4"- 

 6" long, strongly veined; petals 2-cleft, with or 

 without a small crown. 



In meadows and waste places, New Brunswick to 

 Ontario, Washington, New Jersey and Missouri. 

 Also on the Pacific Coast. Naturalized from Europe 

 and native also of Asia. Summer. Called also Behen, 

 White Ben, Cow-bell, Spattling or Frothy poppy. 

 Bull-rattle, Rattle-bags. Devil's rattle-box. Snappers. 

 Knap-bottle. Bird's-eggs. Sea-pink. Maiden's-tears. 



5. Silene nutans L. Nodding Catchfly. 

 Fig. 1805. 



Silene nutans L. Sp. PI. 417. 1753. 



Perennial, glandular-pubescent above or nearly 

 brous, stem slender, erect, i°-2° tall. Lower and 

 basal leaves spatulate, subacute at the apex, 2'-$' 

 long, 2>"-&" w'ide, tapering into slender petioles; 

 stem-leaves few and distant, narrowly oblong or 

 lanceolate, acute or acuminate at the apex, sessile, 

 the uppermost (bracts) very small ; flowers 6"-8" 

 broad, white or pink, nodding or spreading in a 

 loose panicle; pedicels slender, 4"-i2" long; calyx 

 oblong-cylindric in flower, 4"-5" long, glandular, its 

 teeth triangular, acute ; petals 2-cleft or sometimes 

 4-cleft, the lobes narrowly oblong; capsule ovoid, 

 5"-6" high, distending the calyx. 



Mt. Desert Island, Maine, and Staten Island, N. Y. 

 Fugitive from Europe. English names, Dover catchfly, 

 Nottingham catchfly. June-Sept. 



6. Silene virginica L. Fire Pink. Fig. 1806. 



Silene virginica L. Sp. PI. 419. 1753. 



Perennial, slender, ascending or erect, viscid- 

 pubescent, branching above, i°-2° high. Leaves 

 thin, those of the base and lower part of the stem 

 spatulate or oblanceolate, 3'-s' long, obtuse or acute, 

 tapering into a winged petiole ; upper leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, acute, sessile ; inflorescence loosely 

 cymose-paniculate ; flowers crimson, I'-ii' broad; 

 pedicels slender, i'-2' long; calyx tubular-campanu- 

 late, 9"-i2" long, enlarged by the ripening pod, its 

 teeth ovate, actite, scarious-margined ; petals 2-cleft, 

 2-!obed, or irregularly incised, crowned, the limb 

 oblong or linear-oblong. 



In dry woods, southern New Jersey, western New York 

 and southwestern Ontario to Minnesota, south to Geor- 

 gia and Missouri. Ascends to 4200 ft. in Virginia. In- 

 dian pink. May-Sept. 



