126 



THE PINK FAMILY. 



d. Four-stamened C. (C. tetrandrum). Like the last, but more 

 branched, and the parts of the flower usually reduced to fours. Pedicels 

 often long. Less common than the last two, and generally near the 

 sea. 



2. Field Cerast. 



Cerastium arvense, Linn. (Fig. 158.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 93.) 



Stem perennial, and much branched 

 at the base, often very intricate and 

 prostrate ; the flowering branches as- 

 cending to about 6 inches, or more when 

 very luxuriant. Leaves crowded in the 

 lower parts, narrow, lanceolate-linear, 

 more glabrous and less viscid than in the 

 common C. Flowers large and white, in 

 loose cymes, on rather long pedicels. 

 Sepals near 3 lines long. Petals twice 

 that length, cleft to near the middle. 

 Capsule oblique, usually longer than the 

 calyx. 



In dry, hilly fields, pastures, and 



banks, throughout Europe and Russian 



Asia, except the extreme north, in North America, and down the Andes 



of South America. In numerous localities in Britain, but not at all 



common. FL spring and early summer. 



Fig. 158. 



3. Alpine Cerast. Cerastium alpiimm, Linn. (Fig. 159.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 472 ; and C. latifolium, Eng. Bot. t. 473.) 



Stems shortly perennial, much branched, prostrate, and rooting at 

 the base ; the flowering branches ascending to a few inches, with one or 

 two large flowers on long peduncles : the w T hole plant nearly glabrous, 

 or more frequently covered with long woolly hairs, and occasionally 

 viscid. Leaves ovate, elliptical, or oblong, always broader for their 

 length than in the field C. Petals rather longer than in that species. 

 Capsule not much longer than the calyx, straight or nearly so. 



In alpine, moist pastures, and wet, rocky situations, in all the great 

 mountain-ranges of Europe and Eussian Asia, and all round the Arctic 

 Circle. Pretty abundant in the Highlands of Scotland, less so in 

 northern England, and rare in Wales ; not recorded from Ireland. 

 Fl. summer. The nearly glabrous form, figured Eng. Bot. t. 472, which 



