CARYOPIIYLLACE.E. 51 



b. STELLAMA. Linn. Stitchweed. 



Lat. stclla, a star; from the stellate or star-like flower?. 



Calyx of 5 sepals ; connected at base. Petals 5, 2-part- 

 ed. Stamens 10 ; or by abortion 3 to 8. Styles 3, some- 

 times 4. Capsule superior 1-ccllcd, 3 to 4 valved ; valves 

 2-parted, membranaceous. Seeds usually numerous. — Small 

 grass-like herbs, in moist, shady places. Flowers white, in 

 forked cymes. 



1. S. media, Smith. Common Chickwecd. 



St".m procumbent, spreading, with an alternate, lateral, hairy line; leaves rvrj 

 smooth, ovate or lanceolate, the lower on hairy petioles ; petals 2-parted, shorter 

 than the calyx; stamens 3 to 10. Annual or biennial. 



Roadsides, field?, and around dwellings* March — November. Stems prostrate, 

 branched, brittle, round jointed, and leafy. Peduncles axillary and terminal, hairy 

 deflexed in fruit. Flowers small, white. Introduced. 



2. S. pubera, Miclix. Oval-leaved Stitchwort. 



Pubescent; stem decumbent, spreading, marked with 2 opposite hairy lines ; leaves 

 all sessile, ovate-oblong, acute, ciliate ; pedicels filiform, forked ; petals deeply Si- 

 cleft, longer than the calyx. Per. 



Shaded rocky places; rare. April and May. Stem 6 to 12 inches high, diffuse 

 and forked. Leaves 1 to 2 inches long, % as wide. Flowers large, axillary and 

 a I, on thread-like pedicels with 10 stamens, and 3 styles, deeply bifid. 



3. S. longifolia, MuliL Long-leaved Stitchwort. 



Smooth: stem erect, branching above, weak, square; leaves linear, acutish at 

 both ends, spreading ; cymes naked and at length lateral, peduncled, many-flowered, 

 the slender pedicels spreading: petals 2-parted, becoming longer than the calyx ; 

 calyx 3-norved. 



Grassy places; common. June. Per. Stem 8 to 15 inches high, often with 

 rough angles. Flowers white. Stamens 8 to 10. 



4. S. borealis, Bigl. Northern Stitchwort 



Stem spreading, angular, 2-forked ; leaves oval-lanceolate, acute, 1-nerved; petals 

 shorter than the calyx, or sometimes wanting; styles generally 4, capsule ovate* 

 oblong, much longer than the calyx ; seeds smooth. 



Shaded swamps. June— Aug. Annual. A spreading flaccid plant with st*ni* 

 4 to 15 inches long. Cymes diffuse, both terminal and axiilarv. Leaves slightly 

 connate. Petals white, deeply cleft 



5. S. AQUATiCA, Pollicli. Water Stitrhv:ort, 



Nearly smooth ; stem decumbent ; leaves oblong acute, reined ; sepals lanceolate, 

 very acute, 3-vemcd : petals 2-cleft, as long as the calyx; Stytes 3 ; capsule ovoid as 

 long as the calyx. Per. 



Swampy springs. May. Stem C to 12 inches long, weak, decumbent, prolonged, 

 bearing the naked few-flowered sessile cymes lateral. Flowers white, incon- 

 spicuous. 



6. CERASTIUM. Linn. Chickweed. 



Gr. keras, a horn; in allusion to the form of the capsule. 



Calyx 5 (rarely 4) sepalled. Petals 5, bifid or emaj- 



