Z c C [ 7+I 1
AGROSTEMMA GithagOo.
Corn Cockle.
DECANDR J A Pentagynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. of 1 leaf, coriaceous. Pet. 3,
with claws j their limb obtufe, undivided. Cap/.
fuperior, of 1 c e ll; the orifice with 5 teeth.
Spec. Char. Hairy. Calyx reaching beyond the
corolla. Petals entire, deftitute of a crown.
Sy n . Agroftemma Gitbago.’ Linn. Sp. P i. 624.
Sm. F l. B rit. 4 9 3. Hudf. 198. With. 431.
Hull. iox. Relh. 176. Sibth. 145. 'Abbot. 100.
Curt. Lond. fa fc. 3. t. 27. M art. F l. Ruß. t. 10 5.
Lychnis fegetum major. Rail Syn. 338. 1
B U T too common in corn-fields, to the ornament of which
however it greatly contributes, railing its fine purple flowers
to a level with the ripening ears in June and July; after which
the round black feeds are either fcattered upon the ground, or
gathered in with the harveft. It is belt eradicated by the
hand before it flowers, or indeed as foon as it can he diftin-
guifhed from the young corn, which is. the cafe at a very
early period.
Root final!, annual. Whole herb rough with hoary upright
briftles. Stem 2 or 3 feet high, branched, fpreading,
round, leafy. Leaves oppofite, linear-lanceolate, entire.
Flowers terminal, on long {talks, folitary, large and very
confpicuous. Calyx with 10 ribs, and 5 linear leafy teeth,
longer than the corolla, and at length deciduous, leaving the
coriaceous body of the calyx invefting the hard fmooth feed-
veflel. The petals have no teeth or crown at their common
centre of union, as in fome foreign fpecies.
We can fcarcely think that this genus ought to be kept
feparate from Lychnis, the coriaceous calyx and undivided
petals being all that diftinguifii it. If all the fpecies of Lychnis,
which have a capfule with one cell (the reft having 3 cells)
were referred to Agroßemma, it would make a very unnatural
aflemblage, though fuch a decided character might look well
upon paper.