Cerastium viscosum. Broad -leaved Mouse- ear 



Chick weed. 



CERASTIUM Linnai Gen. P. Decandria Pentagynia. 



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

 Rat Syn. Gen. 24. Herb^: pentapetala vasculifer^:. 



CERASTIUM vifcofium eredum villofo-vifcofum. Urmai Syji. Vegetal, p. 362. FI. Suecie. n. 414. 

 MYOSOTIS hirfuta et vifcofa. Haller hjft. n. 895. 

 MYOSOTIS hirfuta altera vifcofa. Valll. Paris. 142. /. 30. fig. 1. 

 ALSINE hirfuta altera vifcofa. C. Bauhin. pin. 251. 

 ALSINE vifcofa. Parkin/on. 768. 



ALSINE hirfuta Myofotis latifolia praecocior. Cat. angl. 



ALSINE Myofotis humilior et rotundo folio. Merret. pin. The Broader-leaved Moufe-ear Chickweed, 

 Rail Syn. p. 348. Hud/on. FI. Angl p. .175. 



RADIX annua, f ROOT annual, 



CAULIS palmaris ad pedalem, ball ramofus, medius % STALK from three inches to a foot in height, branched 



caulis eredus, laterales adfcendentes, dichoto- | at bottom, the middle flalk upright, the fide 



mus, pilis glanduliferis veftitus, unde fub vif- | ones bending upward, forked at top, covered 



cofus evadit. f with numerous hairs, each of which is termi- 



| nated by a gland, whence it becomes flightly 



I vifcid. 



? 



FOLIA ovata, fubconnata, villofo-vifcofa, ad inferio- | LEAVES oval, flightly connate, hoary with a little 



rem partem caulis bail anguftiora, e fiaVo yi- % clamminefs, at the bottom of the ftalk narrower 



refcentia. I at tne bafe, of a yellowiih green colour. 



FLORES -in fummitatibus caulium planta adhuc in- | FLOWERS, while the plant is young, are clofely 



fantili arde ftipantur, ad quindecem aut plures. | crouded together on the tops of the ftalks to 



% the number of fifteen or more. 

 % 



CALYX Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ovato- $ CALYX: a Perianthium of five leaves, which are 



acuminatis, longitudine petalorum, apice pur- | of an oval pointed fhape, the length of the 



purafcentibus, vifcofo-pilofis, Jig. 1. | petals, purpliih at top, and covered with vifcid 



% hairs, fig. 1. 

 % 



COROLLA: Petala quinque alba, oblonga, angufla, | COROLLA: five white Petals, oblong, narrow, at 



bail villofa, apice bifida, Jig. 2. t bottom villous, bifid at top, fig. 2. 



* 



STAMINA : Filament a decern, fubulata, quorum ^ STAMINA : ten Filaments, tapering, of which five 



quinque longiora, bafi glandula inftruda, | are longer than the others, and furnifhed at 



fio-^ 06. I bottom with a fmall gland, fig. 3, 6. 



PISTILLUM: Germen ovatum : Styli quinque vil- | PISTILLUM : Germen oval: Styles five, villous, 

 loii germine breviores : Stigmata obtufiuf- | , Ihorter than the germen : STiGMATAbluntim, 



cula, fig. 4, 5. I fig- A-> 5- 



x 

 PERICARPIUM : Capsula corniformis, ore decern- % SEED-VESSEL a Capsule, horn-fhaped, twice the 

 dentato calyce dimidio longiore, fig. J. | length of the calyx, the mouth furniihed with 



I ten teeth, fig. y. 



SEMINA plurima, flavefcentia, fuborbiculata, crenu- ? SEEDS feveral, yellowifli, roundifh, and notched, 

 lata, fig. 8, 9. * fig- 8, 9. 



AMONG the plants which are with difficulty diftinguiihed by the young Botanift, we may properly reckon 

 three of our common Cerafiiums, viz. the vijcofium, vulgatum, and fiemidecandriwn, as all of them have fome 

 fimilarity in their appearance, occur frequently in the fame fituations, and are fubjecl: to be much altered in 

 their appearance, according to the foil and iituation in which they grow. 



The figure which is here given of the vifcofum, reprefents that plant in its medium ftate ; on walls it is 

 found much fmaller ; in meadows it is found much larger ; and in both thefe fituations, as well as on dry 

 banks and ant hills, it occurs very plentifully, and flowers in the months of April and May, being one of 

 the earliefl: in bloom. 



It is diftinguiihed from the others by the upright manner of its growing, by its broad hoary leaves, the 

 narrownels of its petals, and the crouded or cluftered appearance of its flowers before they blow : its leaves alfo 

 in general are of a paler" colour than the reft. 



-It is not remarked for any particular ufe ; neither is it noxious to the Farmer or Gardener. 



Linnjeus obferves that the plant is liable to be much disfigured by a fpecies of Chermes. 



