274 



DECANDRIA THIGYN1A 



Herbaceous ; stem nodose, furnished with an elastic centre- ; leaves opposite ; 

 flowers axillary, dichotomal, or terminal and subpauiculate. Nat. Ord. Ml). Lindi. 

 Cauyopiiylle;e. 



1. S. wkdia, 5m, Stem procumbent, marked with a lateral alternating 

 pubescent line ; leaves ovate, smooth, mostly petiolatc; petals shorter 

 than the calyx ; stamens 3, or 5 to 10. Jleck y JJot. p. 50. 



Alsinc media. IVilld. Sp. 1. p. loll. J'ers. tiyn. I./j. 330. Ait. Jlciv. 

 2. p. 175. MuhL CatnLp.Xl. 



Middle Stellakia, Vul&o — Common duckweed. 

 Galiicc — Morgeline. Gcrmanice — Das Vogelkraut. JJisp. — Pajarera. 

 Root annual ) Stem 8 to 12 or lo inches long, week, prostrate, dichotomously 

 branched, with a lateral hairy lino which changes sides at each joint. Leaves 

 half an inch to an inch long, and 1 third to U fourths of an inch wide, distant below, 

 rather crowded at the extremities of the branches, acute, mostly on ciliatc pt Holes 



1 fourth to 3 fourths of an inch long, the upper ones often sessile. Peduncles 

 about an inch long, subierniinal, axillary, or in the forks of the branches, solitary, 

 1-flowcred, marked wilh a hairy line. Calyx hairy, sepals lance-ovate. Petals 

 white, small, clefi nearly to the base. Stamens mostly 3 or 5, sometimes 7, 8 or 10. 

 Capsule ovoid, 6carious. Seeds muricate, compressed, orbicular, with an aculo 

 notch at base, reddish brown. 



Uab. Gardens, and cultivated lots: common. Fl. March— Dec. Fr. May— Dec. 



Obs. This foreigner is extensively naturalized. It is a hardy plant, and when 

 tho winters are mild, may bo found in tlower in every mouth of the year. 



2. S. pubeua, J\fx. Stems decumbent, spreading, often with 2 pubes- 

 cent lines; leaves ovate-oblong, or lance-oblong, somewhat ciliate and 

 undulate, sessile ; petals longer than the calyx. Beck, Bot. p. 5 1 . 



Pubescent Stellaria. 



Root perennial, of numerous long coarse fibres. Stem 6 to 12 inches long, often 

 cespitose, or numerous from the same root, somewhat erect, but rather weak, dif- 

 fuse and straggling, dichotomou sly branched above ; the branches mostly with op- 

 posite hairy lines, the stem below often wilh a simile alternating one. Leaves 1 to 



2 or 2 and a half inches long, and half an inch to 3 quarters wide, acute, often 

 tapering at both ends, the midrib mostly hairy, ami the margins ciliate and wavy. 

 Peduncles half an inch to an inch long, terminal or a.xillary, mostly dichotomal, 

 hairy, often recurved. Flotcers stellatcly spreading, large (half an inch to near 



3 quarters in diameter). Calyx nearly smooth; sepals ovate-lanceolate, some- 

 what hairy and ciliate at base. Petals white, deeply bifid. Cajtsule roundish- 

 ovoid. Seeds much compressed, orbicular-reniform, roughish, crenate or obtusely 

 muricatejon the margin, reddish brown. 



Hob. Bank of the Schuylkill, at Black Rock : rare. FL April— May. J&Y. June. 



Obs. Collected by D. Townsend, Esq. in 1830. 



3. S. borealis, BigcL Stems procumbent, or ascending, flaccid, diffuse, 

 glabrous ; leaves oval-lanceolate, or lance-oblong, acute at each end, 

 sessile ; petals scarcely as long as the 3-nerved calyx. Beck? JJot. p. 

 51. var. a. Hook. Am. I. p. 84, 



8, Alsine. .MuhL Catahp.Ab. Not? of Willd. and Pers. 



S. uliginosa. JVutt. Gen. I. p. 289. Bart. Phil. I. p. 213. Also? Eat. 



Man. p. 356. Not] of Ait. nor Lin dl. 



S. lanceolata. Torr. FL 1. p. 453. Ejusd. Comp. p. 191. florid. 



Cestr. p. 53. Also, Beck, L c. Not of JO C. 



