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D I A N T H U S caefius.
Mountain Pink.
D E C A N D R I A Digynia.
Gen. Char. Calyx cylindrical, of one leaf^ with about
four fcales at the bafe. Petals five, furnifhed with
claws. Capfule cylindrical, one-celled.
Spec. Char. Stems moftly fingle-flowered. Scales of
__ the calyx roundifh and fhort. Petals notched,
bearded. Leaves rough in the margin.
Syn. Dianthus virgineus |3. L in n . Sp. P I. 590.
D. glaucus. H u d f. F I. A n . 18 5 .
Armeriae fpecies flore in fummo caule fingulari. Ran
Syn. 3 3 6 . __________
W E believe this plant has never yet been found in any part
of Great-Britain, except on Chedder rocks, Somerfetfhire,
where it was gathered in Ray’s time by Mr. Brewer, And Cnee
by the Rev. Mr. Lightfoot, and fome other botanifts. The
flowers appear in July, and are highly fragrant.
The whole hiltory of this fpecies in Englifh writers is a
heap of confuGon. Dr. Stokes alone has formed any tolerable
conjectures on the fubjeCt. The error originated with Lin-
nseus, who quoted Dillenius’s excellent figure (Hort. Eltb
t. 298, f 385.) as a variety of his D. virgineus, with which it
has no affinity. Mr. Hudfon unluckily increafed the confufion,
by taking it for D. glaucus. We are happy to clear up the
point by means of wild and original fpecimens, and to give,
from Dr. Smith’s manuferipts, a new fpecific character, which,
if attended to, will be found abundantly fufficient to diftinguifh
this from every other Dianthus hitherto known. The trivial
name cxftus is taken from the character given by Dillenius,
and alludes to the blueifh green of the leaves.
The roots are woody and perennial, and thrive beft in a dry
or fomewhat fandy foil.