of the Genus Cerastium. 199 



authors. There is also an alpine form " var. d. uliginosum, Schleich." 

 Reich, and 8. alpinum of Koch., which has broader leaves and larger 

 flowers. 



Infields on banks, walls, &c. common. May — September. 



I have not noticed either the variety holosleoides or alpinum in 

 this country. 



From the very confused state of the synonyms in this first sec- 

 tion, I cannot help thinking that it would be far better to adopt dif- 

 ferent names from those given by Linnaeus, that is, C. glomeratum 

 after Thuillier and Mertens and Koch, in place of C. vulgatum of 

 Smith, and C. triviale after Link, Reichenbach and Mertens and 

 Koch, in place of C. viscosum of Smith. 



b. Fugaces, Fries. The capsule straight, the petals shorter 

 than the calyx. 



3. C. semidecandrum, Linn. — Leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, pe- 

 tals shorter than the calyx, sepals lanceolate, broadly membranous 

 at their margins and apex, bracteae with their upper half membran- 

 ous, capsule cylindrical, slightly inflated, straight and longer than the 

 calyx, fruit-stalk longer than the calyx, at first reflexed but ulti- 

 mately erect. 



C. semidecandrum, Linn. Sp. PL 627. Sm. Eng. Bot. 1630. 

 Hooker, hind. De Cand., &c. 



C. pellucidum, Loisel. Fl. Gall. i. 323. 



a Friesianum. leaves ovate-oblong, stems filiform and erect. C. 

 semidecandrum, Fries, 134. 



(3. glutinosum, very viscid, leaves ovate, stems thicker, more 

 spreading and decumbent below. C. glutinosum, Fries. 132. 

 C. viscosum, Reichenb. f. 399, 400, 401. C. pumilum, Curt. ? 



y. macilentum, Fries, glabrous throughout. C. macilentum, Reich. 

 f. 379, 380. 



Root small, fibrous. Stems nearly erect, except in var /3. usually 

 covered with short glandular pubescence. Leaves ovate or oblong, 

 the lower ones narrowed into a petiole. Flowers in small terminal 

 panicles, often umbellated, upon stalks which are longer than the 

 calyx, and are reflexed after the flower is faded, but ultimately again 

 erect. Sepals lanceolate, somewhat acute, the apex and margins, par- 

 ticularly the inner one, broadly membranous, hairy but nearly gla- 

 brous towards their points, (Jig. d.J Petals white, much shorter 

 than the calyx. Capsule cylindrical, not curved, nearly twice as 

 long as the calyx. Seeds minute tuberculated. 



C. semidecandrum, Lois, is said, by him, not to have the mem- 



