Silene. ] XII, CARYOPHYLLACEA, — 63 
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. 1. summer. 
5, S. gallica, Linn. (fig. 137). Small-flowered Silene.—A hairy, slightly 
viscid, much branched annual, 6 inches to near a foot high, erect or decum- 
bent at the 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. £7. summer. [There are three very 
distinct varieties of this :—S. gallica, proper, with white or pink large 
2-fid petals; S. quinquevulnera, 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. 138). Striated Silene.—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. FU. summer. 
7. S.noctiflora, Linn. (fig. 139). Might Silene.—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 two or three, 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 Europe, 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. Capsule 1-celled, 
or divided at the base into 5 cells, and opening in 5 or 10 teeth or short 
valves at the top. 
Far less numerous than Silene, the species of this genus are, however, 
