Ceraftium vulgatum. Common Moufe-ear - Chickweed. 
CERASTIUM Linnai. Gen. PL Decandria Pentagynia. 
Calyx 5-phyllus. Petala bifida. Caps, unilocularis, apice dehifcens. 
Raii Syn. Gen. 24. Herbie pentapetal® vasculifer®. 
CERASTIUM vulgatum foliis oblongo-ovatis, hirfutis, caulibus diffufis, hirfutie nudff. 
CERASTIUM vulgatum foliis ovatis, petalis calyci aequalibus, caulibus diffufis. Lin.SyJl. Veget ab. /.362. 
Sp. Pl. p. 627. FI. Suecic. n. 415. 
MYOSOTIS foliis ovato lanceolatis, petalis calycis longitudine. Haller. Hi/l. Helv. p. 390. n. 893. 
MYOSOTIS arvenfis hirfuta, parvo flore albo. Vaillant . Paris. 142. t. 30. /. 1. 
ALSINE hirfuta magno flore. Bauhin. pin. 251. 
AURICULA muris quorundam flore parvo, vafculo tenui longo. I. B. III. 359. 
ALSINE hirfuta myofotis. Adv. 193. Raii. Syn. p. 349, Narrow-Leaved Moufe-ear Chickweed. 
Hudfon. FL Angi. p. 175. ed. 2. p. 200. 
Ltghtfoot. FL Scot. p. 240. 
ROOT perennial and fibrous. 
RADIX perennis, fibrofa. 
CAULES plurimi, diffufi, teretes, purpurafcentes, hir- 
futi, ramofi. 
FOLIA hirfuta , inferiora oblongo-ovata, bafi angufta- 
ta, carinata, connata, fuperiora ovata, mar- 
ginibus fubrevolutis. 
CALYX : Perianthium pentaphyllum, foliolis ovato- 
lanccolatis, margine membranaceis, apice 
purpurafcentibus, hirfutis, hirfutie nudd fve 
glandulis defit ut a, fig. 1 . 
COROLLA : Petala quinque, alba, obtufe bifida, 
calyce plerumque longiora, bafi flavefcentia, 
fg- 2 * 
STAMINA: Filamenta decem, filiformia, corolla 
breviora; alterna breviora : Anther.® fub- 
rotundas, flavae, fig. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen ovatum: Styli quinque, 
capillares, albi, ad bafin fenfim tenuiores: 
Stigmata fimplicia, fig. 4. 
PERICARPIUM : Cap sul a ovato-cylindracea, mem- 
branacea, paululum recurvata, calyce duplo 
fere longior, ore decemdentato. 
SEMINA plurima, flavefcentia, ad lentem fcabriufcu- 
la, fig ■ 5, 6. 
STALKS numerous, fpreading, round, purplifli, hir- 
fute, and branched. 
LEAVES hirfute ; the lowermoft of an oblong oval 
(hape, narrowed at the bafe, midrib project- 
ing on the under fide, uniting around the ftalk ; 
the uppermoft leaves oval, the edges fomewhat 
rolled back. 
CALYX : a Perianthium of five leaves, which are 
oval and pointed, membranous at the edges, 
and purplifli at top, covered with hairs which 
have no glands at their extremities, fig. 1. 
COROLLA: five white Petals, bluntly notched at 
top, generally longer than the Qalyx, yellow- 
ifli at bottom, fig. 2. 
STAMINA: ten Filaments, thread-fhaped, and 
(horter than the corolla ; the alternate ones 
(horteft; Anther® roundifli, and yellow, 
fig- 3 - 
PISTILLUM : Germen roundifli : Styles five, very 
{lender and white, gradually leflening to the 
bottom : Stigmata Ample, fig. 4. 
SEED-VESSEL : a Cap sule ovally-cylindrical, mem- 
branous, turning up a little, almoft twice the 
length of the calyx, the mouth opening with 
ten teeth. 
SEEDS numerous, yellowifli, appearing roughifli when 
magnified, fig. 5, 6. 
THE Cerafiium vulgatum is often confounded with the two fpecies already figured in this work ; viz. the vifcofum 
and femidecandrum. The attentive botanift will, however, readily diftinguifli it ; particularly when aflifted by the 
following obfervations. 
Firft, this fpecies is certainly perennial ; and although it has only a fmall fibrous root, it continues through 
the winter, and from the fame root throws out new (hoots ; while the other two are ftri&ly annual. Secondly, the 
hairs on the (talks, leaves, and calyx, are much longer and coarfer, than in either of the other two ; and what 
particularly deferves to be noticed, they are not terminated at the extremity by a vifcous globule, a character alone 
fulficient to diftinguifli it. — And thirdly, it is not only a larger and more fpreading plant, but alfo with relpeCt to 
(ituation more univerfally common. 
It is fubjeCt to many variations ; fometimes being very hirfute, at other times but thinly covered with hairs ; 
and it is faid to have been found by Doody quite fmooth.-j- It differs in fize from an inch to two feet. In the 
breadth of, its leaves alfo, like the Polygonum aviculare , it varies very confiderably. The bJoffoms likewife are fub- 
jeCt to vary in fize. In general, the ftronger the plant the fmaller the petals, and vice verla ; hence by the fize of 
its petals alone, it is lufficiently diftinguifhed on heaths, where it frequently grows about two inches in height, 
and is often taken for the femidecandrum. 
The name given to this plant by Monfieur Vaillant, is certainly improper; the petals being often twice as 
large as either of the other two. There is one point alfo in which Linn®us’s obfervation does not accord with ours : 
in comparing the leaves with thofe of the vifcofum , he fays they are minus lanceolata magifque ovata , the reverfe of 
which is generally obfervable in our plant. 
It comes fully into bloom about May ; but may be found in blofl'om during the whole of the fummer. It grows 
not only on walls, but alfo by the (ides of roads, in meadows, and among rubbifh. Like the other Ceraf turns, it 
is not known to be particularly noxious in agriculture ; nor has it any virtues to recommend it. 
■[Raii Syn. ed. 3. p. 349, 
