D. plumarius. L. Feathered Pink. Named from its many-
cleft petals ; is common to Europe, whence we received it ;
glaucous ; throat of the corolla hairy. The Pheasant’s Eye is of
this species, of which 300 varieties are cultivated about Paisley.
Loudon.
D. barhatus. L. Sweet William. From Germany; hears
red or whitish and often greatly variegated flowers, in tufts or
fascicles, with scales as long as the tube of the corolla. Cultivation
is making this a very beautiful species, of great variety and
mixture of colors.
There are reckoned 41 species of this genus ; only a few are
beautiful. The carnation and pink have been called the florist’s
flower. Loudon.
L ychnis. L. 10. 5.
L . chalcedonica. L. Scarlet Lychnis or Campion. A native
of Russia, cultivated for its beauty ; the border of the petal
somewhat 2-cleft, or deeply emarginate ; flowers fascicled, level-
topped ; rather rough-leafed.
One or two species more are said to be cultivated. One small
one is a native of Labrador. The cottony leaves of some species
have been used as wicks for lamps ; hence the name, Lychnis,
from the Greek word for lamp.
S aponaria. L. 10. 2. Soapwort.
/S. officinalis. L ., and S. vaccaria, L ., have wandered from
the gardens into the fields, and are naturalized. In Berkshire
County, the former bears large double flowers.
The mucilaginous sap of the leaves is said to have a soap-like
power ; hence the name. S. officinalis is bitter, and was used
to cure the itch. Loudon.
A grostemma. L. 10. 5.
Named from the Greek, crown of the field, on account of the
beauty of the flowers ; only four species, and all natives of Europe.
Tubular calyx, 5-sided.
A. githago. L. Cockle. A well-known weed of wheat
fields, hairy, and bearing fine rose-colored flowers, and often
called Rose Campion; introduced ; scarcely naturalized ; propagated
with the wheat.
The name githago, is from the resemblance of the seeds to
git or gith, aromatic grains,supposed of Nigella saliva, L., used in
cookery. The black seeds greatly injure the flour of wheat.
A. coronaria. L. Mullein Pink. Named from its woolly
leaves, bearing white or red flowers, sometimes double ; a plant
desired from its singular appearance ; a native of Italy.
C ucubalus. L. 10. 3.
The name signifies a bad subject ; as the seeds of C. baccifer,
a native of England, are very poisonous, it is named evil weed.
Loudon.
C. behen. L. Bladder Campion. Formerly a Silene, native
of Crete, about fences and roads ; stem a foot or two high,
smooth, paniculate, with white, spreading, nodding flowers, and
with spatulate, -radical leaves, and opposite, ovate, acute, entire,
stem-leaves ; calyx inflated or bladder-like, an obvious and striking
character ; introduced; substitute for asparagus and green
peas, according to Loudon.
C. stellatus. L. Star Campion, is a native of this country
' and State ; stem 2 - 4 feet high, erect, branching, pubescent,
with whorled, lanceolate leaves in fours ; white, paniculate
flowers ; petals about 4-cleft; July ; woods ; calyx inflated and
pubescent.
S ilene. L . 10. 3. Catchfly.
More than 70 species are enumerated under this genus, and are
generally plants of little use or beauty and, as many of them
are covered with a viscid, offensive matter, the genus was named
after the dirty and drunken heathen deity, Silenus, 3 or 4 species
are peculiar to this country, and a few others are the same as
the European ; only 2 species are found in this Commonwealth.