39§ FLORA. 



petals (petals sometimes wanting) ; pods nodding, 1-2 cm. long, curved upward, 

 much exceeding the calyx. In moist, shaded places, N. S. and Hudson Bay to 

 N. Car., Br. Col., Nev. and northern Mexico. April-June. 



5. Cerastium brach^podum (Engelm.) Robinson. Short-stalked Chick- 

 WEED. (I. F. f. 1488.) Annual, light green, viscid-pubescent or puberulent ; 

 stems tufted, erect, 0.7-2.5 dm. tall. Lower and basal leaves oblanceolate or spat- 

 ulate, 6-25 mm. long, narrowed into short petioles, the upper linear or linear- 

 oblong, acute, sessile, sometimes erect-appressed ; flowers about 4 mm. broad ; 

 fruiting pedicels, or some of them, deflexed, not more than twice as long as the 

 calyx ; capsule straight or slightly curved upward, 2-3 times as long as the 

 calyx. In dry soil, 111. and Mo. to Neb., S. Dak., Mont., Nev., Ariz, and Mex. 

 March-July. 



Cerastium brachjfpodum compactum Robinson. Cyme capitate; capsules very 

 slender. Neb. to Tex. 



6. Cerastium arvense L. Field Chickweed. (I. F. f. 1489.) Perennial, 

 densely tufted, erect or ascending, flowering stems 1-2.5 dm. high. Basal leaves 

 and those of the sterile shoots linear-oblong, close; stem-leaves distant, linear or 

 narrowly lanceolate. 1-3 cm. long, 2-4 mm. wide, acute; flowers 12-16 mm. broad; 

 petals obcordate, much exceeding the lanceolate acute sepals which equal or are a 

 little shorter than the slightly oblique capsule. In dry, rocky places, Lab. to Alaska, 

 Ga., Mo., Nev. and Cal. Also in Europe and Asia, April-July. 



Cerastium arvense oblongff61ium (Torr.) Holl. & Britt. Larger, pubescent; leaves 

 oblong or lanceolate, broader, mainly obtuse ; capsules about twice the length of the 

 calyx. Mainly on magnesian rocks, N. S. to Va., S. Ont., Minn, and in the Rocky 

 Mts. and Sierra Nevada. 



Cerastium arvense velutlnum (Raf.) Britton. Depressed, villous-pubescent; stem- 

 leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate ; capsule 2 or 2.5 times the length of the calyx. On 

 serpentine rocks, Lancaster and Chester counties, Pa. 



7. Cerastium alpinum L. Alpine Chickweed. (I. F. f. 1490.) Peren- 

 nial, generally silky-hairy; sterile stems prostrate; flowering stems erect, 5-15 cm. 

 high. Lower leaves oblanceolate or spatulate, 4-8 mm. long, obtuse; upper leaves 

 distant, ovate-oblong, obtusish, 8- 16 mm. long; flowers solitary or 2-3, 12-18 mm. 

 broad; petals 2-lobed, twice the length of the lanceolate acute scarious-tipped 

 sepals; pod longer than the calyx, nearly straight. In moist, rocky places, Quebec, 

 Lab. and in arctic America. Also in arctic and alpine Europe and Asia. Sum- 

 mer. 



Cerastium alpinum Fischerianum (Ser.) T. & G. Taller ; pubescence more rigid. 

 Lab. and through arctic America to Siberia. 



8. Cerastium cerastioides (L.) Britton. Starvvort Chickweed. (I. F. f. 

 1491.) Perennial, glabrous except a line of minute hairs along one side of the 

 stem and branches, rarely pubescent throughout. Flowering branches ascending, 

 07-1.5 dm. long; leaves linear-oblong, 8-16 mm. long, about 2 mm. wide, obtuse; 

 flowers solitary or few, 10-12 mm. broad, long-pedicelled; petals 2-lobed, twice the 

 length of the sepals; capsule nearly straight, twice the length of the calyx; styles 

 3, rarely 4 or 5 ; sepals and petals 5 or 4. Quebec and arctic America. Also in 

 arctic and alpine Europe and Asia. Summer. 



12. HOLOSTEUM L. 



Annual erect herbs, often viscid-pubescent above, with cymose-umbellate, white 

 flowers on long terminal peduncles. Sepals 5. Petals 5, emarginate or eroded. 

 Stamens 3-5, hypogynous. Styles 3. Ovary 1 -celled, many-ovuled. Capsule 

 ovoid-cylindric, dehiscent by 6 short valves or teeth. Seeds compressed, attached 

 by the inner face, rough. [Greek, signifying all bofu, an antiphrase, the herbs 

 being tender.] About 3 species, natives of Europe and temperate Asia. 



1. Holosteum umbellatum L. Jagged Chickweed. (I. F. f. 1492.) Gla- 

 brous or slightly downy below, tufted, I -3 dm. high. Basal leaves spreading, 

 oblanceolate or oblong; stem-leaves oblong, sessile, 1-5 cm. long; umbel 3-8- 

 flowered; pedicels slender, about 2.5 cm. long, erect or ascending in flower, sub- 

 sequently reflexed and again erect when the fruit is mature; flowers white, 4-6 



