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S T E L L A R I A nemorum.
Wood Stitchwort.
/ / - ?
H E C A N D R I A Trigynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. five-leaved, fpreading. Petals five,
cloven. Capfule one-celled, with many feeds.
Spec. Char. Lower leaves, heart-lhaped, on foot-
ftalks ; upper ones ovate, feflile. Panicle dichotomous.
S yn. Stellaria nemorum. Linn. Sp. P I. 603. Hudf.
F L An. 190. With. Bot. A rr. 4 5 5 .
Alfine montana, folio Smilacis inftar, flore laciniato.
Ran Syn. 34 7 .
C oN F IN E D to moift woods and the borders of clear fhaded
fprings in the mod northern parts of England, as well as in
the low-lands of Scotland, flowering in May. Mr. Robfon, to
whom we are indebted for fo many rare plants figured in this
work, gathered the prefent fpecimen in Cliff-wood near Darlington.
Root perennial, fmall and creeping. Stems feveral, weak
and lax, round, hollow, fcattered here and there with hairs,
chiefly in the upper part. Leaves pale green, tender and fuc-
culent. The numerous ftar-like flowers are vifible at a distance,
and of a delicate ftructure when clofely examined.
For the confolation of fallible botanifts we muff remark
that Linnaeus in his Flora Lapponica (No. 186) confounds
this plant with Alfine media and Ceraftium aquaticum. The
former may always be known, in all its numerous varieties,
from this and every other plant of its natural order, by the
hairy line on one fide of its Item, firlt pointed out, if we remember
right, by Mr. Curtis. The latter is diftinguifhed from our
Stellaria by being vifcid, and much more hairy; its flowers
much lefs confpicuous ; calyx more oval, and lefs membranous;
panicle more leafy ; and efpecially by all the Item-leaves being
feflile, neither are they lengthened out into fo long a point;
not to mention its five flyles, which are very conftant.
Stellaria nemorum thrives very well in Chelfea garden.