( 250 ) 
jfffi- That trailing plant with fmall white 
ft flowers, you tell me, without hefitation, 
is common Chick weed. You are pro- 
bably right, becaufe there is no other 
plant, to which it bears any refem- 
blance, yet in bloom ; but, next month 
you will find other plants, which are 
alfo commonly called Chickweed : they 
bear a flrong family likenefs to this 
plant, but are of a different clafs. The 
jlamina, you find, are 5, and the piftilla 
3. The Clafs and Order therefore are 
determined. Turning to your Synopfa, 
you find in this Order, Frigynta, only 
.. ; .: four genera, three of which are trees, 
and the fourth Alcine media, the plant 
in your hand. 
In the Clafs Decandria, there are three ge- 
nera, viz. Sikne, Stellar? a and Cerajlium, from 
ieveral fpecies of which the Alcine media is 
not eafily diftinguifhed. Curtis fays, it may 
be known from every other plant, by its 
petals being fhorter than the calyx, and its 
ftem alternately hairy on one fide. Its flow- 
ers have been obferved to open about 9 in 
the morning and to clofe at noon. 
