L s I N E M e d i a . C o m m o n C hi c k we e
ALSINE Linnai Gen. PI. Pent And ri a T rig ÿn ia .
Cal. 5-phylIus. Petala 5-æqualia. Caps. ï-Iocularis, g-val vis».
Raii Syn. Gen. 24» Herbæ Pen ta p eta læ V a s cu life ræ.
ALSINE media. Linncei Syfi. Vegetab. p. 246. Flora Suecic. p. 37.
ALSINE foliis petiolatis, ovato lanceolatis, petalis bipartitis. Haller hiß. heb), n. 880*
ALSINE media* Scopoli Fl. Carniol. n. g 76»
ALSINE media. Bauhin Pin. p. 250»
ALSINE media feu minor. Gerard emac.611. Raii Syn. p. 347. Common Chickweed* Budfon
Fl. Angl. p. 113. Oeder Fl. Ban. 525, 438. '
W annua, fibröfa, capillacea.
jjLES plures, tenelli, teretes, fubrepentes, ramofi,
I viticulis geniculati, unifariam hirfuti, api-
“ cibus feniim incraffatis.
A ovato-acuta, glabra, leviter ciliata ; inferiora
petiolata, fuperiora feffilia, connata.
ÄOLI ad bafm latiorä, hirfuti.
TUNCULI uniflori, axillares, hirfuti, peraflä flo-
* refeentiä penduli, demum erefti.
■ iYX: Pe r ia n t h iü m p en ta p h y llum , fo lio lis lan ceolatis,
co n ca v is , fu b carm atis , ma rginatis ,
hirfutis, Petalis lohgioribus, fig. 1 .
kOLLA: Petala quinque, alba, nitida, ad bafin
fere partita, fig. 3, 4, 5.
ÄMINA: Filamenta quinque, alba, inter Petala
locata, Glandula ad bafin inftru6la; A n the-".
g- R.E fubrotundae, purpurafeentes, fig. 5, 6.
hILLUM: Germen Ijabovatum ; S t y l i tres filiformes
; Stigmata fimplicia, fig. 7.
jICARPIUM : Capsula unilocularis, in valvulas
1 fex dehifeentes, fig. 8.
INA 06I0 ad quindecem, fubreniformia, afpera, ■
[ e fufco-aurantiaca, pedicellis recep.täculo
| connexa, fig. 9, 10, au£l.
I RO OT annual, fibrous, capillary.
{ STA LK S numerous, tender, round, ftriking root here
\ and there, branched, jointed and ftringy, hairy
j> ononefideonly, growingthicker towards the top.
> LEAVE S of a pointed oval mape, fmooth, flightly
l hairy at the edges, the lowermoft {landing on
| foot-ftalks, the uppermoft feffile, connate,
t FOOT-STALKS of the leaves broadell at bottom,
* and hairy.
I FOOT-STALKS of the flowers, each fuftaining one
flower, proceeding from the bofoms of the
l ' leaves, hairy, when the flowering is over'
f hanging down, finally becoming upright.
^ C A L YX : a Perianthium of five leaves, each of
> which is lanceolate; concave, flightly keel*
1 fhaped at bottom, with a margin at the edge,
> hairy, and longer than the Petals, fig. 1.
[CO R O L LA con fills of five white fliining Petal s, dill
vided nearly to the bdSe, fig. 3, 4, 5*
[STAM IN A : five white Filaments, placed betwixt
i the Petals, furnifhed at bottom with a little
[ Gland ;. A n th e r s roundiffi, of a purplifh
> colour, fig. 5, 6.
[ PISTILLUM : G ermen fomewhat o val; S tyles
>• three, filiform ; Stigm a ta Ample, fig. 7.
[SEED-VESSEL a C apsule of one cavity, fplitting
> into fix valves, fig. 8.
> SEEDS from eight to fifteen, fomewhat kidney-fhaped,
> o f a brownilh orange colour, with a rough
[ furface, conne&ed to the receptacle by little
' . foot-ftalks, fig.. 9, io, magnified.
Mweed being a plant which will grow in almoft any fituation, is confequently liable to aflume many
|ent appearances: when it grows in a rich foil, and fhady fituation, it will frequently become fo large as
Jemble the Cerafiium aquaticum; while, at other times, on a dry barren wall, its leaves and {talks will
I minute, as to make the young botanift take it for fome fpecies different from the common Chickweed:
Ely, however, it affords marks which, if attended to;-.will readily diftinguifh it from the Cerafiium, and
»other plant. Exclufive of its differing from the Cerafiium in its generic chara&er, its Petals are fhorter
Ithe leaves of its Calyx ; while in the Cerafiium they are longer; hence a confiderable difference will be
|vable,. at firft fight, in the fize o f the flowers of thefe two plants: and, from all other plants related to
|may be diftinguifhed by the lingular appearance of its ftalk, which ,is alternately hairy on one fide only.
|iemoIl common number of its Stamina with us is five; yet I have often feen it with lefs, and fometimes
pore; and this inconftancy in the number of its Stamina has been noticed by moft botanic writers:
P , in1 his Flor. Monjpel. mentions from 3 to 10, with as many Piftilla ; this circumftance with refpefi
j number of its Stamina, unfortunately feparates it from other plants with which it appears to have by
| e a very near relation : but as five Stamina appear to be its moft conftant number, L inn.eus could not
»placed it amongft thofe plants with Stamina, without doing violence to his fyftem.
|annual plants there are few more troublefome: it fows itfelf plentifully in the Summer, and remains
inroughout the Winter, flowering during the whole time, if the weather be mild: but its chief feafon
•wering is in the Spring. In rich garden mould, where the ground is highly cultivated, and in the fields
5 a"?’ u ° eS a of roikhief: by the quicknefs of its growth and the great number o f its {hoots, it
le f / ° CS many young plants ; hence it-ffiould be carefully weeded from dunghills.
Then? M VCry °eaut^u^> anc^ have the greateft affinity to thofe of. the Cerafiium aquaticum.
Mown a l 0pen’ the foot_ftalks wllich ftipport them are upright; as the flowers go off, they
wn ’ ?na waen the feeds become ripe, they again become erefled.
E|a'fHs aas. Obferved that the flowers open from nine in the morning till noon, unlefs rain falls on the
|| j ’ 1 w| leb cafe they do not open : from what little obfervations I have made on this plant, it is not
? afiected pfecifely in the fame manner here, having feen in the month of March, the bloffoms
tner widely expanded after repeated fhowers of rain.
°.n , as a wholefome food for Chickens and fmall Birds, whence,
0meI | it refembles Spinach fo exaftly, as fcarcely to be diff_.c
Ibftitute eKS a f lant which ma7 be Procured almoft any where very early in the Spring, it may be no
Itor .j Wl5ere Spinach or other greens are not to be had in plenty, and much preferable to Nettle-tops
I°nd o f ? ’ a •Cl1 tlie ^ower ^ort PeoPle Peek after in the Spring with fo much avidity. Swine are
when! V7rnd Prefer ^ to Turnip-tops. It is eaten b y many Infers, particularly by the Caterpillar of
|amedi • • ° r ®.eam Spot Tyger .Moth, and other hairy Caterpillars o f the Tyger kind,
ies. eitW ktC-°rn!?ins n? aaive PfinciPle.5 but is frequently applied to hoV painful, and inflammatory
■ iy ttlelf, bruifed, or mixed with poultices, with good fuccefs.
R ay obferves, it has obtained
fcarcely to be diftinguilhed from it, and is equally