Silene. ] XIT. CARYOPHYLLACE, 63 
3 or 5 together on short opposite peduncles. Calyx tubular, 4 or 5 lines 
long. Petals white or greenish underneath, deeply 2-cleft, with long 
claws, the style and stamens projecting beyond the flower. 
On hilly or stony pastures, and in rocky districts, over nearly the 
whole of Europe and Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle. Distributed 
over several parts of England and southern Scotland, but in some places 
introduced only, and not recorded from Ireland. Fl. swmmer. 
5. S. gallica, Linn. (fig. 138). Small-flowered S.—A hairy, slightly 
viscid, much branched annual, 6 inches to near a foot high, erect or de- 
cumbent atthe base. Lower leaves small and obovate, upper ones narrow 
and pointed. Flowers small, nearly sessile, generally all turned to one 
side, forming a simple or forked terminal spike, with a linear bract at the 
base of each flower. Calyx very hairy, with 10 longitudinal ribs and 5 
slender teeth, at first tubular, afterwards ovoid, and much contracted at 
the top. Petals very small, entire or notched, pale red or white. 
Probably of south European origin, but now a common weed in sandy 
or gravelly fields and waste places, especially near the sea, in most parts of 
the cultivated world; pretty frequent in southern England,and appearing 
occasionally in other parts of Britain. Fl. swmmer. [There are three very 
distinct varieties of this:—S. gallica proper, with white or pink large 2-fid — 
petals; S. guinquevulnera, Linn., with white entire petals, each with a red 
spot (formerly cultivated); and S. anglica, Linn., with spreading branches 
and small white, often jagged petals. ] 
6. S. conica, Linn. (fig. 139). Striated S.—An erect, simple, or 
slightly branched annual, about 6 inches high, slightly hoary with | 
minute, soft, and glandular hairs. Radical leaves obovate, spreading, 
those of the stem narrow and erect. Flowers few, in a small, compact, 
terminal panicle. Calyx conical, about 6 lines long, marked with 25 to 
30 longitudinal veins, the mouth always contracted, with 5 slender teeth. 
Petals small, pale pink notched or 2-cleft. 
In sandy fields and waste places, especially near the sea, common in 
central and southern Europe and central Asia, but not reaching into 
northern Germany. In Britain, confined to the eastern counties of 
England, or appearing” occasionally on ballast-hills further north. /!. 
summer. 
7. S. noctiflora, Linn. (fig. 140). Night-lowering S.—A coarse, erect, 
hairy, and viscid annual, 1 to 2 feet high, simple or branched. Lower 
leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate, and shortly stalked, the upper ones 
narrow-lanceolate and sessile. Flowers 2 or 3, or sometimes several 
together, in a loose, terminal, dichotomous panicle. Calyx above an 
inch long, tubular, with 10 ribs and 5 slender teeth, swelling, as the 
fruit ripens, rather below the middle. Petals rather large, 2-cleft, pale 
pink or nearly white, opening at night. 
Probably of south European origin, now a common cornfield weed in 
central Kurope, and found occasionally as such in various parts chiefly 
of eastern England, Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fl. with the corn. 
IV. LYCHNIS. LYCHNIS. 
Calyx tubular or inflated, with 5 teeth. Petals 5, with erect claws, 
and a spreading lamina, entire or 2-cleft, usually with a small double or 
notched scale at its base, Stamens 10. Styles 5, or very rarely 4. 
