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S IL È N E compacta.
Compact Catchfly.
Linnean Class and Order. D E C A N D R IA T R IG Y N IA .
Natural Order. C A R Y O P H Y L L EÆ . D C .p ro d r l . p . 361.
Tribus I . S IL E N EÆ . Sepala coalita in tubum cylindraceum apice 4-6
dentatum. , i *
S IL E N E . Calyx tubulosus 5 -dentatus nudus. P étala o, unguiculata,
f a u c e sæpissimè coronata, limbo bifido. Stamina 10. S ty li3 . Capsuloehasi
triloculares apice in 6 dentes dehiscentes. D C . jn-odr. v. 1. p . 367.
Sect. V I I I . A t o c i o n . Caulescentes. Elores corymbosi. Calyx clavatus,
10-striatus.
s. compacta, petalis iutegris ovatis acutis, calycibus clavatis glaberrimis
fasciculatis, pedicellis omnibus brevissimis, pedúnculo summo laterali
terminali bríviore, foliis glaberrimis glaucescentibus basi subconnatis
cordato-ovatis acutisusculis; radice bienni.
Silene compacta. Marsch. B ieb .flo r. taur.-cauc. suppl. p . 308
Horn. hort. hafn. 1. p . 417. Spreng. syst. 2 .p . 410. Swt. hort. brit. p . 44.
edit. 2. p . 53. non Otth in D C . prodr. p. 384.
Silene Armeria. B ie b .flo r. taur.-cauc. n .l. n. 837.
Biennial. Stem herbaceous, erect or a httle flexuose,
somewhat branched, smooth and glaucous, knotted at the
joints, from one to two feet high. Leaves smooth and glaucous,
succulent, about two inches long or rather more, and
an inch and half broad, cordately ovate, slightly connected
at the base, scarcely acute, but terminated in a short mucrone,
quite entire and flat, or a little concave on the upper
side, veined with several strong veins a little above the base.
Flowers numerous, of a beautiful rosy lilac, m a compact corymb
forming a sort of head. Bractes numerous, lanceolate,
tapering to the point and dilated at the base, longer than the
shL t flower-stalks. Peduncles aggregate, smooth. Pedicles
short, smooth. Calyx clavate, smooth, slender at the base,
and inflated upwards, of a pale blush colour, 10-angular,
5-toothed, the teeth short, ovate, and acute: from the base
of the calyx to where it begins to be inflated is a continuation
of the pedicle, on which is seated the ovarium, surrounded
by the petals and stamens. Petals 5, bearing a
handsome 10-rayed crown, inserted on the inclosed pedicle
at the base of the ovarium; unguis very slender at the base,
becoming winged upwards with a membranaceous wing on