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S I L E N E anglica.
Englijh Catchjly.
DECANDRIA Trigynia.
G e n . C h a r . Cal. fwelling, of one leaf. Petals 5,
with claws. Capf. fuperior, imperfectly 3 -celled,
burfting at the fummit. Seeds many.
S p e c . C h a r . Hairy, vifcid. Petals notched. Flowers
lateral, erect, alternate. Lower fruit fpreading or
reflexed.
S y n . Silene anglica. Linn. Sp. PI. 594. Sm. FI.
Brit. 465. Hudf. 18 7 . With. 4 1 3 . Hull. 97.
Relh. 16 7 . Jbbot. 95. Curt. Lond.fafc. 4. t. 30.
Dickf. H. Sicc.fafc. t j. 18.
Lychnis fylveltris, flore albo minimo. Raii Syn. 339.
IL dK E other annuals which grow in cultivated fields occa-
fionally, but are not common weeds, this Silene occurs now
and then on light fandy foils among corn, turnips, 8cc., but is
rarely feen for feveral years in fucceflion in any one fpot.
It flowers in July.
Root fmall. Herb hairy and flightly vifcid. Stem branched
and fpreading, fcarcely fupporting itfelf alone, leafy, round,
fwelling above each joint. Leaves lanceolate or obovate,
acute, entire. Flowers folitary, from the bofoms of the upper
leaves, on fhort ftalks, upright. Calyx ribbed, hairy, at length
fwelling. Petals broadly elliptical, notched, with long claws,
crowned with a notched fcale. Their colour is generally
white ; but we have found them with a central reddifli fpor,
faintly imitating S. quinquevulnera, t. 86. Capfules ovate,
hard and rigid ; the lower ones generally fpreading widely, or
bent back; the uppermoft nearly ere6t,