201 



The Flora of Wiltshire. 



half Latin, half Greek. It should have been Ilemidecandrum. 

 Engl. Bot. 1630. Reich. Icon™, v. 228. 



Locality. Frequent on walls, and in dry waste places, in a sandy 

 soil, not uncommon on the downs, but less frequent in the chalky 

 Districts. A. Fl. March, April, May. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 



In all the Districts more or less distributed. A smaller plant than 

 C. triviale (Link) and flowering earlier, displaying itself, as Sir J. E. 

 Smith well observes, in early spring on every wall, and withering 

 away before the latter begins to put forth its far less conspicuous 

 blossoms. Leaves usually hairy, sometimes glabrous. Stamens usually 

 five, often four, occasionally ten. Fruit more or less curved, vari- 

 able in length from a little longer than the calyx. Stems sometimes 

 viscid. This species is always distinguished by its half membranous 

 bracts. 



4. C. arvense, (Linn.) Field Mouse- ear. Engl. Bot. t. 93. 

 Locality. In sandy, gravelly, and chalky places. P. Fl. April, 

 August. Area, 1. * 3. * * 



South Division. 



1. South-east District, "Fields about Salisbury," Major Smith. 

 "Near Amesbury," Dr. Southby, and Mr. James Hussey. 



3. South-west District, "Wick near Downton," Mr. James Hussey. 

 "Warminster," Mr. Rowden. 



Only as yet observed in two of the Southern Districts of Wilts, 

 and there not at all common in the localities specified. The large 

 flowers with petals twice the length of the calyx and the powerfully 

 creeping roots, will distinguish this from all the other British 

 species of Cerastium. 



ORDER. MALVACEAE. (JUSS.) 

 Malva, (Linn.) Mallow. 

 Linn. CI. xvi. Ord. iii. 

 Name. An old Latin appellation, cognate with the Greek, 

 (malache), which is derived from (malasso), to soften or mollify, in 

 allusion to the mucilaginous soothing properties of some of the genus. 



1. M. moschata, (Linn.) Musk Mallow. Engl. Bot. t. 754. 

 Reich Icones, v. 169. 



