SILENE alpestris.
Austrian Catchjly.
Natural Order. C a k y o p h y l l e æ . D C. prodr. 1 . p. 3 5 1
S IL E N E . Supra, fo l. 5%.
Sect. V I. IlUPIFRAGA. Caulescentes. Caules stricti. Pe-
dunculi filiformes. Calyces campanulati vel cylindrici.
S. alpestris, petalis quadridentatis, caule dichotoma, capsulis
ovato-oblongis, foliis lineari-lanceolatis glabris erectis, pe-
dunculis viscidis. Willden. sp. p i. 2. p . 707. Jacq. aust. 1.
p . 60. t. 96. Pers. syn. 2. p. 500. DC. prodr. 1 . p. 375.
Lychnis alpestris. Linn. supp. 244. L in k enum. 1 . p. 432.
Perennial. Stems numerous, spreading, much bran-
clied; branches ascending, slightly hairy. Leaves
linearly lanceolate, rather pointed or sometimes bluntish,
attenuated at the base and slightly fringed, smooth
or very slightly pubescent. Flower-stalks forked, cylindrical,
much divided. Peduncles slender, viscid.
Calyx tubular, slightly bellied, terminated with five
blunt membranaceous concave segments. Petals 5,
white, unguiculate; limb obcordate, ending in four
blunt teeth; fauce crowned with two flat teeth. Stamens
10, every other one inserted at the base of each
petal, the other 5 in the receptacle, all exserted beyond
the mouth of the corolla: anthers incumbent.
Germen smooth. Styles 3, white, blunt, spreading.
This pretty plant is well adapted for the ornamenting
of rock-work; it will also succeed well in a dry
border of light sandy earth, and may also be cultivated
with advantage in a small pot of light rich soil, where