WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Corn-cockle. (Lychnis Githag’O, Scop.) — Flowers large, 1J-2 inches across, pinkish 
mauve, solitary, terminating the stem and branches ; the calyx having 10 strong ribs and 5 very 
long teeth, Uonger than the petals, all covered with long white hairs ; the petals not notched and 
without any teeth ; and the capsule oval, opening by 5 short teeth. [As just described in the 
genus Campion (Lynchnis).] Stems 1-4 feet high, very hairy but not sticky, swollen at the 
joints (nodes) and the leaves strap-shaped, pointed and long. \Platc 22. 
Rare. A cornflower weed. June — August. Annual. 
JAGGED CHICKWEED. (HOLOSTEUM, LINN.) — Flowers small, in clusters of shortly- 
stalked flowers all starting from the same point on the main stalk (simple umbels). Sepals 5, not 
united (free) ; petals 5, jagged but not notched ; stamens usually 5 ; carpels 3, uniting into a i-celled 
seedcase and separating into 3 styles. Fruit a i-celled, many-seeded capsule, opening by 6 teeth. 
Small annual herbs, with opposite, entire leaves, and stems swollen at the joints (nodes), and with 
the upper part sticky. 
Umbelliferous Jagged Chickweed. (Holosteum umbellatum, Linn.)— The only 
British species (as just described). Flowers \ inch across, white, rarely tinged with rose, 3-6 
together on; long stalks, erect in flower, then drooping and finally erect in fruit ; the sepals 
white with membranous edges ; the petals narrow and jagged ; and the capsule twice as long 
as the sepals. Stems 4-8 inches high, sticky at the top and hairy lower down, with swollen joints ; 
and the leaves[oval, opposite, pale green with a bluish bloom and fleshy, those of the upper stem 
stalkless. 
Very rare. On old walls in Norfolk and Suffolk. April. Annual. 
MOUSE-EAR CHICKWEED. (CERASTIUM, LINN.) — Flowers white, in terminal forked 
clusters (dichotomous cymes) or rarely solitary. Sepals 5, rarely 4, not united (free) ; petals 5, 
rarely 4, the same number as the sepals, usually deeply notched, sometimes minute or absent ; 
stamens twice as many as the sepals, rarely only as many ; carpels 5, rarely 4 or 3, united into a 
i-celled seedcase and separating into the same number of styles. Fruit a many-seeded, i-celled 
capsule, tube-shaped, often curved inwards, opening at the top by twice as many short teeth as 
there are styles, usually much longer than the sepals. Small herbs, usually downy with small 
hairs, with stems swollen at the joints (nodes), and opposite, oblong leaves. 
Upright Mcenehia. (Cerastium quaternellum, Fenzl.) — Flowers | inch across, 
white, few, 1-3, on long stalks together, opening only in sunshine. Sepals 4, with a broad 
white margin, as long as the petals ; petals 4, oblong, not notched ; stamens 4 ; styles 4 ; capsule 
oval, as long as the sepals, opening at the top by 8 teeth. Stems 2-6 inches high, hairless, with 
opposite, strap-shaped, pointed leaves, the lower ones broader and stalked. \Plate 24. 
Not common. Commons and dry pastures. May — June. Annual. 
Dark Green Mouse-ear Chickweed. (Cerastium tetrandum, Curtis.)— Flowers 
^ inch across, white, in terminal forked clusters. [As just described in the genus Mouse-ear 
Chickweed (Cerastium).] The sepals pointed, with narrow, white, membranous margins and 
gland-tipped hairs, as long as the petals ; the petals oblong and notched ; the sepals and other 
parts of the flower usually 4, but sometimes 5. The capsule nearly straight, erect, as long as the 
sepals. The stems 6-12 inches long, covered with sticky, gland-tipped hairs, much branched; 
the lower leaves oblong and shortly stalked, the upper broader and stalkless, those under the 
flower clusters green without any membranous margins. The whole plant is of a dull, dark 
green, very sticky, covered with short, gland-tipped hairs. 
Not common. Dry places near the sea. April — October. Annual. 
