Ceraftium vulgatuin* Common Moufe-ear - Chickweed 



CERASTIUM Linnau Gen. PL DecAndriA Pentagynia. 



Calyx 5-phyllus. Petala bifida. Caps, unilocularis, apice dehifcens, 

 Pall Syn. Gem 24. Herbje pentapetal.#: vasculifer^e. 



CERASTIUM vulgatum foliis oblongo-ovatis, hirfutis, caulibus difFufis, hirfutie nuda. 



CERASTIUM vulgatum foliis ovatis, petalis calyci asqualibus, caulibus difFufis. Lln.Syfi. Fegetab.p, 362* 



Sp. PL p. 627. FL Suecic. n. 415. 

 MYOSOTIS foliis ovato lanceolatis, petalis calycis longitudine. Haller. Hlft. Helv. p. 390. n. 893. 

 MYOSOTIS arvenfis hirfuta, parvo flore albo* Falllant. Paris, 142. /. 30. f. 1. 

 ALSINE hirfuta magno flore. Bauhln. pirn 251. 



AURICULA muris quorundam flore parvo, vafculo tenui longo. I. B. III. 359. 

 ALSINE hirfuta my ofotis. Adv. 193. Rail. Syn. p. 349, Narrow-Leaved Moufe-ear Chickweed. 



Hudfon. FL Angl. p. 175. ed. 2. p. 200. 



Ltghtfoot. FL Scot. p. 240. 



RADIX perennis, fibrofa. 



CAULES plurimi, diffufi, teretes, purpurafcentes, hir- 

 futi, ramofi. 



FOLIA hirfuta, inferiora oblongo-ovata, bafi angufta- 

 ta, carinata, connata, fuperiora ovata, mar- 

 ginibus fubrevolutis. 



CALYX : Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ovato- 

 lanceolatis, margine membranaceis,^ apice 

 purpurafcentibus, hirfutis, hirfutie nuda fve 

 glandulls deftltuta, fig. 1. 



COROLLA : Petala quinque, alba, obtufe bifida, 

 calyce plerumque longiora, bafi flavefcentia, 

 fig- 2. 



STAMINA : Filamenta decern, filiformia, corolla 

 breviora; alterna breviora : Antherje fub- 

 rotundas, flavas, fig. 3. 



PISTILLUM : Germen ovatum : Styli quinque, 

 capillares, albi, ad bafm fenfim teuuiores : 

 Stigmata fimplicia, fig. 4. 



PERICARPIUM : Capsul a ovato- cylindracea,mem- 

 branacea, paululum recurvata, calyce duplo 

 fere longior, ore decemdentato. 



ROOT perennial and fibrous. 



STALKS numerous, fpreading, round, purplifh, hlr- 

 fute, and branched. 



LEAVES hirfute; the lowermofl of an oblong oval 

 fhape, narrowed at the bafe, midrib projecl- 



¥ ing on the under fide, uniting around the ftalk ; 



I the uppermost leaves oval, the edges fomewhat 



^ rolled back. 



I CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, which are 



I oval and pointed, membranous at the edges, 



t and purplifh at top, covered with hairs which 



I have no glands at their extremities, fig. 1. 

 if 



I COROLLA: five white Petals, bluntly notched at 



J top, generally longer than the calyx, yellow- 



% ifh at bottom, fig. 2. 



STAMINA: ten Filaments, thread-fhaped, and 

 fhorter than the corolla ; the alternate ones 

 fhorteft; Anthers roundifh, and yellow, 

 fig- 3- 



PISTILLUM : Germen roundifh : Styles five, very 

 flender and white, gradually leflening to the 

 bottom : Stigmata fimple, fig. 4. 



SEED-VESSEL : a Capsule ovally-cylindrical, mem- 

 branous, turning up a little, almoft twice the 

 length of the calyx, the mouth opening with 

 ten teeth. 



SEMINA plurima, flavefcentia, ad lentem fcabriufcu- | SEEDS numerous, yellowifh, appearing roughifh when 



la, fig- 5? 6 - 



magnified, /£. 5, 6. 



THE Ceraftium vulgatum is often confounded with the two fpecies already figured in this work ; viz. the vifcofum 

 and femldecandrum. The attentive botanift will, however, readily diftinguifh it ; particularly when affifted by the 

 following obfervations. 



Firft, this fpecies is certainly perennial ; and although it has only a fmall fibrous root, it continues through 

 the winter, and from the fame root throws out new moots; while the other two are ltri&ly annual. Secondly, the 

 hairs on the ftalks, leaves, and calyx, are much longer and coarfer, than in either of the other two ; and what 

 particularly deferves to be noticed, they are not terminated at the extremity by a vifcous globule, a character alone 

 fufficient to diftinguifh it.— -And thirdly, it is not only a larger and more fpreading plant, but alfo with refpecT: to 

 fituation more univerfally common. 



It is fubjecl to many variations ; fometimes being very hirfute, at other times but thinly covered with hairs ; 

 and it is faid to have been found by Doody quite fmooth.t It differs in fize from an inch to two feet. In the 

 breadth of its leaves alfo, like the Polygonum avlculare, it varies very confiderably. The bloflbms likewife are fub- 

 jecl to vary in fize. In general, the fbonger the plant the fmaller the petals, and vice verfa ; hence by the fize of 

 its petals alone, it is fufficiently diftinguifhed on heaths, where it frequently grows about two inches in height, 

 and is often taken for the femldecandrum. 



The name given to this plant by Monfieur Vaillant, is certainly improper; the petals being often twice as 

 large as either of the other two. There is one point alfo in which Linn^us's obfervation does not accord with ours : 

 in comparing the leaves with thofe of the vifcofum, he fays they are minus lanceolata magifque ovata, the reverfe of 

 which is generally obfervable in our plant. 



It comes fully into bloom about May ; but may be found in blofTom during the whole of the fummer. It grows 

 not only on walls, but alfo by the fides of roads, iu meadows, and among rubbifh. Like the other Ceraftiums, it 

 is not known to be particularly noxious in agriculture ; nor has it any virtues to recommend it. 



\Raii Syn. ed. 3. j>. 349, 



