CARYOPHYLLACEiE. 



107 



Annuals. Calyx contracted at the top, with narrow 

 teeth. 

 Flowers axillary, forming unilateral spikes. Calyx 



10-ribbed 5. Small-flowered S. 



Flowers in terminal dichotomous panicles, or solitary. 



Calyx conical, 25- to 30-ribbed 6. Striated S, 



Calyx long and tubular, 10-ribbed ..... 7. Night S. 



Two south European species, S. italica (S. patens, Eng. Bot. Sappl. 

 t. 2748) and the LobeVs Catchfly (S. Armeria, Eng. Bot. t. 1398), ap- 

 pear to have occasionally escaped from gardens, and sown themselves 

 in some localities. Several other exotic species, especially S. compacta, 

 S. vesper Una, S. rubella, S. Shafta, etc., are frequent ornaments of our 

 flower-beds. 



1. Dwarf Silene. Silene acaulis, Linn. (Fig. 131.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1081. Moss Campion.) 



This beautiful little mountain plant 

 forms dense moss-like tufts, often many 

 inches diameter, consisting of a much 

 branched perennial stock, the very short 

 branches covered with the remains of 

 old leaves, and crowned by dense spread- 

 ing clusters of short, green, linear, and 

 glabrous leaves. From the centre of 

 these arise the numerous flowers, either 

 sessile or on 1-flowered peduncles, which 

 seldom attain an inch in length. Calyx broadly tubular or campanu- 

 late, quite glabrous, with rather obtuse teeth. Petals reddish-purple, 

 obovate, slightly notched, with a small scale at the base of the lamina. 



In the mountains of northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and America, 

 and, at considerable elevations, on the great mountain-ranges of central 

 and southern Europe. Abundant in the mountains of Scotland and 

 northern Ireland, extending more sparingly into the Lake district of 

 England and into North Wales. FL summer. 



Fig. 131. 



2. Bladder Sileiie. Silene inflata, Sm. (Fig. 132.) 



(Cucubalus Behen, Eng. Bot. t. 164. Bladder Campion.) 



A perennial, loosely branched at the base, with ascending or seldom 

 erect stems, from 6 inches to above a foot long, of a glaucous green, 

 and usually glabrous. Leaves ovate, oblong, or rarely nearly linear, 

 and usually pointed. Flowers few, white, erect or slightly drooping, 



