Annual. — Flowers in June and July. 
Root tapering. Stem 2 or 3 feet high, round, branched, leafy, 
and, like every other part of the plant, clothed with upright hoary 
hairs. Leaves sessile, opposite, joined at the base, strap-spear- 
shaped, keeled. Flowers large and handsome, on upright stalks. 
Calyx 10-ribbed, very hairy, with 5 long, strap-shaped, smoother 
teeth or segments. Petals (fig. 3.) large, undivided, destitute of a 
crown, inversely heart-shaped, light purple, with bluish streaks ; 
the claw somewhat strap-shaped, and nearly as long as the limb. 
Germen smooth. Styles hairy. Capsule almost the size of an 
acorn, covered with its dried calyx, the mouth opening with 5 teeth. 
Seeds large, black, somewhat inversely egg-shaped, compressed, 
each on a pedicel or stalk, springing from a common receptacle, 
see fig. 6. 
This is a very troublesome weed, and is too common in corn- 
fields ; it should be eradicated by hand before it comes into flower. 
The seeds are large and heavy, and their black husks, when mixed 
with wheat, breaking so fine as to pass the boulters, renders the 
flour specky. They are, therefore, obnoxious to the millers, and 
depreciate the sample of corn. 
Gerarde says, “ What hurt it doth among come, the spoyle 
vnto bread, as well in colour, taste, and vnwholesomnes, is better 
known than desired.” 
It is said sometimes to occur with a white flower. 
The Natural Order Caryophy'lle.e (see the 2nd page of folio 
152) is divided into two Tribes, namely, Sile'nEjE and Alsi'ne.e. 
Tribe I. Sile'nEjE (plants agreeing with Silene, in having a 
tubular calyx). This tribe comprehends all those Caryophy'lle.e 
which have their sepals united into a cylindriral or bell-shaped 
tube, with 4 or 5 teeth at the apex ; to this belong the following 
British Genera. 
1. DIA'NTHUS, t. 81. 4. LY'CHNIS, t. 71. 
2. SAPONARIA, t. 37. 5. AGROSTE'MMA, 1. 175. 
3. SILE'NE, t. 120. 
Tribe II. Alsi'nete (plants agreeing with Alsine in having the 
calyx cleft to the base). To this tribe belong all the Caryophy'l- 
LEA5 which have the sepals distinct or very slightly cohering at the 
base ; it contains the following -British Genera. 
6. BUFFO'NIA, 1. 152. 
7. CHERLE'RIA. 
8. SPE'RGULA. 
9. ELA'TINE. 
10. SAGI'NA. 
11. MCE'NCHIA. 
12. ARENA'RIA. 
13. HOLO'STEUM. 
14. CERA'STIUM. 
15. STELLA'RIA, t. 154. 
See Don's Gen. Syst. of Gard. Sf Bot. 
