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S T E L L A R I A media.
Common Chickweed.
/ y s
D E C A N D R IA Trigynia.
G e n . Char. Cal. 5-leaved, ^Spreading. Petals 5, cloven.
Capf. 1 celled, with 6 valves, and many feeds.
S p e c . Ch a r . Leaves ovate. Stems procumbent, with
a hairy alternate ridge on one fide. Stamina 5 to 10.
S y n . Stellaria media. With. 418.
Alfine media. Linn. Sp. P/. 389. Hudf. 131 . Relh.
128. Sibth. 10 5 . Curt. Lond. fa jc . 1. t. 20. F I.
Dan. t. 4 38 & t. 525.
A . vulgaris, feu Morfus gallium. Rad Syn. 34 7 .
W e moft readily follow Dr. Withering in his removal of
this plant from the genus of Al/ine, with which it has no natural
affinity, nor any agreement in botanical charabber, except
having generally but 5 Stamina. The genuine fpecies of Al/ine
refemble Arenaria tenuifolia in habit, and have undivided petals
{a very important mark) and a 3-valved capfule; the plant now
under consideration has deeply cloven petals, and a 6-valved
capfule, the effential characters, and all the habit, of a Stellaria,
fee our t. 92. Nothing is more common than for fome
plants of a genus to have occasionally, or even constantly, but
half their proper number of ltamina.
The Stellaria .media is a common weed in every foil and
fituation, efpecially in cultivated ground, flowering from the
beginning of fpring till the end of autumn; for, though the
root is annual, the feedlings moltly Hand the winter. The Stems
are feveral, proftrate, brittle and Slender at the bottom, leafy,
marked on one Side from joint to joint, but in an alternate
manner, with a hairy line, by which decifive character, pointed
out by Mr. Curtis, all its Proteus-like varieties (of which we
here exhibit two very different ones) may be known at once
from every plant of its natural order, and particularly from
Cerajiium aquaticum. Leaves oppofite, ovate, entire, fmooth,
on, longer or Shorter, Sringed foot-ffalks, and folded together at
night. Flowers on folitary axillary or terminal Stalks, which
are hairy on one fide. Calyx hairy, longer than the petals.
Stamina 10 or 5, rarely but 3, each with a gland at its bale.
Seeds rough, pale brown.
It is a good vegetable boiled like fpinach. Small birds eat
the whole herb, as do young poultry.