CAEYOPHYLLACE^]. 



Ill 



swelling, as the fruit ripens, rather be- 

 low 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 cen- 

 tral Europe, and found occasionally as 

 such in various parts of England, Ire- 

 land, and southern Scotland. Fl. with 

 the corn. 



Fig. 137. 



IV. LYCHNIS. LYCHNIS. 



Calyx tubular or inflated, with 5 teeth. Petals 5, with erect claws 

 and a spreading lamina, entire or 2-cleffc, 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 

 widely spread over the northern hemisphere without the tropics. Some 

 botanists break up the genus into several small ones, referring the 

 British species to Melandrium, Agrosiemma, Lychnis, and Viscaria. 



Calyx with long, narrow, green lobes projecting beyond the 



petals 3. Corn L. 



Calyx- teeth shorter than the petals. 



Calyx after flowering much swollen, ovoid and globular. 



Plant glabrous and glaucous. Calyx veined .... Bladder Silene. 

 Plant coarse, green, and hairy. Calyx 10-ribbed. 



Flowers white. Capsule ovoid 1. White L. 



Flowers red. Capsule nearly globular 2. Med L. 



Calyx tubular or short, not swollen. 



Flowers in loose panicles. Petals cut into narrow strips 4. Meadow L. 

 Flowers in heads, or dense oblong panicles. 



Stems very viscid. Calyx narrow, tubular. Petals 



notched 5. Viscid L. 



Stem not viscid. Calyx short. Petals 2-cleft . . 6. Alpine L. 



Among the exotic species most frequently cultivated for ornament, 



