69 
SteUdria.~\ xiv. caryophyllacea: : arsines. 
In moist woods, principally In the north of England and Lowlands 
of Scotland. If.. 5, 6. — Stems weak, 1 — 1 4 ft. long, often glabrous 
below, uniformly downy above, except on the peduncles, where the 
pubescence sometimes forms a line on one side. Leaves very large, 
usually glabrous, but rough with extremely minute elevated dots, 
occasionally ciliated at the margin, sometimes hairy on both sides. 
Sepals lanceolate, white at the edges. Petals narrow, deeply bifid, 
pure white, twice as long as the sepals. Receptacle of seeds linear, 
elongated : in all the other species it is very short. 
2. S. media With. ( common Chichveed or S.) ; leaves ovate 
lower ones petiolate upper ones sessile, steins with an alternate 
line of hairs on one side, petals bipartite, stamens 5 — 10. 
E. B. t. 537- Alsine L. 
Road-sides and waste places, abundant. Q. FI. almost the whole 
year. — Stem weak, with alternate lines of hairs between each pair of 
leaves, by which the species is readily. distinguished. Leaves glabrous, 
the uppermost sessile ; the others on foot-stalks which are fringed with 
hairs. Flowers small, white, on solitary, axillary and terminal stalks. 
A slender and apetalous var. occurs on the Sussex and Isle of Wight 
coasts, and about Weybridge, Surrey; its calyx is sometimes hairy, 
sometimes naked. — This species is a good pot-herb, and small birds 
are very fond of the seeds. 
3. S. Holustea L. ( greater S .); stem nearly erect >yith 4 rough 
sharp angles, leaves lanceolate much acuminate minutely 
ciliated sessile, petals cloven to the middle twice as long as the 
nerveless calyx. E. B. t. 511. 
Woods and hedges, frequent. 1/.. 4 — 6. — Plants 1 — 1 -j ft. high, 
rather rigid and brittle, somewhat glaucous. Flowers large and with 
much broader petals than the two following, pure white. Panicle of 
few flowers, with leafy bracteas. 
4. S. glauca With. ( glaucous Marsh S.) ; quite smooth and 
glaucous, stem angled nearly erect, leaves linear-lanceolate 
entire, flowers upon long solitary axillary footstalks, petals 
bipartite much longer than the 3-nerved sepals. E. B. t. 825. 
Marshy places, margins of lakes, he. It. 5 — 7. — Stems 1 — 1 }, ft. 
high. Bracts with scarious margins. Flowers next in size to those 
of S'. Holostea. Readily known from that and S', yraminea by its 
narrower, glaucous leaves ; solitary, axillary flowers ; and narrower 
sepals. 
5. S .grarninea L. (lesser S.) ; stem angled nearly erect smooth, 
leaves linear-lanceolate acute entire glabrous ciliated, panicle 
much branched, petals bipartite scarcely longer than the 3-nerved 
sepals. — a. vulgaris ; stem elongated, panicle loose. E. B. t. 
803. — 13. scapigera ; stem short, panicle contracted, leaves pu- 
bescent at the margins. S. scapigera Willd. : E. B. t. 12G9. 
Dry pastures, fields and heaths, common. — 0. “ By the sides of ri- 
vulets in the mountains of Badenoch between Loch Ereachd and Loch 
