236 FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



ers). — Family, Pink. Color, white. Leaves, ovate or oblong, 

 ^ to 2 inches long. Time, spring and summer. 



Sepals diXid petals, 4 or 5. Petals, deeply divided. Stamens, 

 8 or 10. Styles, 3. Weak-stemmed and prostrate. Leaves 

 with petioles, the lower hairy. 



It prefers shady, damp ground, but will grow almost anywhere 

 in gardens. The little round pods, as well as leaves, make food 

 for caged birds. 



Mr. W. H. Gibson has found the chickweed blossoming under 

 snow in midwinter. He says : " It must indeed be a cold day when 



" ' The chickweed's eye is closed.' 



You are always sure of it. Even in midwinter, if you know its 

 haunt in some sunny nook, you may dig away the snow and pick 

 its white, starry blossoms, larger and fuller now than those of 

 summer." 



14. Long-leaved Stitchwort 



S. longifblia has a number of small, star - shaped white 

 flowers on long pedicels, in cymes. Stems sometimes with 

 rough angles, 8 to 18 inches high. Leaves long and narrow. 

 Widely spread, growing in grass. May to July. 



15. Corn-spurrey 



Spergula arvensis. — Family, Pink. Color, white. Leaves, 

 whorled, numerous, long (i to 2 inches), narrow and thread- 

 like. Time, July, August. 



Sepals, s, separate. Petals, 5. Styles and valves of the pod, 5. 



A delicate, pretty plant, found often growing thickly in corn 

 and grain fields. 6 to 18 inches high. 



16. Common Purslane 



Portulaca oleracea. — Family, Purslane. Color, light yel- 

 low. Leaves, thick, fleshy, roundish, entire, scattered. Tifne, 

 spring, summer. Calyx, 2-cleft, the sepals keeled. Corolla 



