Saponaria. | XII, CARYOPHYLLACE. 61 
several European and west Asiatic species, among which the S. ocymoides 
and calabrica are frequently cultivated in our flower-gardens, and S. Vac- 
caria, acommon cornfield weed in Continental Europe and central Asia, 
remarkable for its angular calyx and small pink flowers, appears occa- 
sionally in our own cornfields, especially in the southern counties of 
England. 
1. S. officinalis, Linn. (fig. 182). Common Saponaria, aaa 
A glabrous perennial, with several stout, leafy, erect stems, from 1 to 2 
feet high. Leaves ovate or elliptical, 2 to 3 inches long, strongly marked 
with 3 or 5 ribs, and narrowed at the base into a very short, broad stalk. 
Flowers large and handsome, of a pale pink, or nearly white, in dense 
corymbs or heads at the summit of the stems, surrounded by small lanceo- 
late floral leaves or bracts. Calyx tubular, about 9 or 10 lines long. 
Petals obcordate. 
On banks, roadsides, and waste places, throughout central and southern 
Europe and western Asia. Abundant in some parts of England, Ireland, 
and southern Scotland, about villages and habitations, probably introduced 
from cultivation, but ’ perhaps really native on the coasts of Cornwall and 
Devon. Fl. summer. 
Ill. SILENE. SILENE. 
Calyx, corolla, and stamens of Lychnis. Styles 3. Capsules opening at 
the top in 6 teeth or short valves. 
A very numerous genus, widely spread over Europe, Russian and central 
Asia, and North America, with afew south African species. It is very 
artifically distinguished from Saponaria and Lychnis by the number of 
styles, and the popular names of Catchfly and Campion each include species 
of both Silene and Lychnis. It has been proposed to abandon the 
character derived from the styles, and to distinguish these two genera by 
the number of the teeth or valves of the capsule, the same as that of the 
styles in Lychnis, twice as many in Silene, thus transferring Lychnis 
vespertina and 8. diurna to Silene, but this would scarcely render the 
genera less artificial. 
Calyx glabrous. Leaves glabrous or slightly downy. 
Moss-like alpine plant, with very short tufted stems . ‘ » L. 8. acaulis. 
Stem elongated. 
Calyx much inflated after flowering, ovoid or globular . . 2. 8. Cucubalus, 
Calyx short, not inflated. Flowers numerous, small ° . 3d S. Otites. 
Calyx and foliage dowry or hairy. 
Perennials. ; 
Calyx short. Flowers small, numerous, in opposite bunches or 
whorls : 3. 8S. Otites. 
Calyx tubular. Flowers rather large, nodding, on opposite 
peduncles, forming loose panicles ; 4, S. nutans. 
Annuals. Calyx contracted at the top, with narrow teeth. 
Flowers axillary, forming unilateral spikes. Calyx 10-ribbed 5. S. gallica, 
Flowers in terminal dichotomous panicles, or SOE 
Calyx conical, 25- to 30-ribbed . - : : . 6. S. conica. 
Calyx long and tubular, 10- ribbed . d é . 7. S. noctifiora, 
Two south European species, S. ztalica aa the Lobel’s Catchfly (8. 
Armeria), appear to have occasionally escaped from gardens, and sown 
themselves in some localities. Several other exotic species, especially S. 
compacta, S. vespertina, S. rubella, S. Shafta, etc., are frequent ornaments 
of our flower-beds. 
