2. SÒLEA, Spreng., in part. Green Violet.
Sepals not prolonged at the base. Petals nearly equal in length, but the lower one larger and gibbous or saccate at the base, more notched than the others at the apex. Stamens completely united into a sheath enclosing the ovary, and bearing a broad gland on the lower side. Style hooked at the summit.—A homely perennial herb, with stems leafy to the top, and 1–3 small greenish-white flowers in the axils, on short recurved pedicels. (Named in honor of W. Sole, author of an essay on the British Mints.)
1. S. cóncolor, Ging. Plant 1–2° high; leaves oblong, pointed at both ends, entire; pod 1´ long.—Woods, N. Y. to Kan., and southward. June.
3. IONÍDIUM, Vent.
Sepals not prolonged at base. Petals very unequal, the two upper shorter, the lower longest and largest, concave at base, contracted in the middle. Filaments distinct, the two lower with a scale-like gland or spur at base; anthers merely connivent.—Perennials, branching and leafy, with alternate and opposite leaves, and small axillary flowers. (Name from ἴον, violet, and εἶδος, appearance.)
1. I. polygalæfòlium, Vent. Stems low, from a woody base; leaves linear to oblanceolate, or the lower obovate, entire, the stipules leaf-like or small or none; flowers solitary, nodding, 2´´ long, white. (I. lineare, Torr.)—Kan. and southwestward.
Order 15. CARYOPHYLLÀCEÆ. (Pink Family.)
Herbs, with opposite entire leaves, symmetrical 4–5-merous flowers, with or without petals, the distinct stamens no more than twice the number of the sepals, either hypogynous or perigynous, styles 2–5 (or rarely united into one); seeds several or usually many, attached to the base or to the central column of the 1-celled (rarely 3–5-celled) pod, with a slender embryo coiled or curved around the outside of mealy albumen, in Dianthus nearly straight.—Bland herbs; the stems usually swollen at the joints; uppermost leaves rarely alternate. Leaves often united at the base. Calyx persistent. Styles stigmatic along the inside. Seeds amphitropous or campylotropous.
Tribe I. SILENEÆ. Sepals united into a tube or cup. Petals (mostly convolute in the bud) and stamens (10) borne on the stipe or stalk of the ovary, the former with slender claws, to the base of which the corresponding filaments often adhere, included in the calyx tube. Seeds numerous.—Stipules none. Flowers often large and showy.
[*] Calyx with scaly bractlets or small leaves at the base. Seeds flattened on the back, attached by their face; embryo nearly straight.
1. Dianthus. Calyx terete, mostly cylindrical. Styles 2.
[*][*] Calyx naked. Seeds globular or kidney-shaped; embryo curved or coiled.
2. Gypsophila. Calyx top-shaped or campanulate. Pod deeply 4-valved. Styles 2.
3. Saponaria. Calyx oblong-cylindrical, obscurely nerved, terete or 5-angled. Pod shortly 4-valved. Styles 2.
4. Silene. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 3.
5. Lychnis. Calyx 5-toothed, 10-nerved. Styles 5, rarely 4.
Tribe II. ALSINEÆ. Sepals distinct or nearly so, imbricated in the bud. Petals when present without claws, mostly imbricated, and with the stamens inserted at the base of the sessile ovary, or into a little disk. Pod splitting into valves or teeth several–many-seeded. Stamens opposite the sepals, when not more in number.—Low herbs.
[*] Stipules none.
[+] Styles opposite the sepals, or, when fewer, opposite those which are exterior in the bud.
[++] Pod short, splitting into as many valves as styles; valves often bifid or 2-parted.
6. Arenaria. Petals entire. Styles usually 3. Valves of the pod entire, bifid or 2-parted.
7. Stellaria. Petals 2-cleft or none. Styles usually 3. Valves bifid or 2-parted.
[++][++] Pod cylindrical, dehiscent by twice as many equal teeth as styles.
8. Holosteum. Petals denticulate or notched. Styles usually 3. Seeds fixed by the face.
9. Cerastium. Petals notched or 2-cleft. Styles 5 or 4. Seeds fixed edgewise.
[+][+] Styles alternate with the sepals. Stamens as many, or twice as many.
10. Sagina. Petals 4 or 5, entire, or none. Styles 4 or 5. Pod short, 4–5-valved.
[*][*] Stipules present. Pod short.
11. Buda. Styles 3. Pod 3-valved. Leaves opposite.
12. Spergula. Styles 5. Valves of the pod opposite the sepals. Leaves whorled.
1. DIÁNTHUS, L. Pink. Carnation.
Calyx cylindrical, nerved or striate, 5-toothed, subtended by 2 or more imbricated bractlets. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Pod 1-celled, 4-valved at the apex. Seeds flattish on the back; embryo scarcely curved.—Ornamental plants, of well-known aspect and value in cultivation. (Name from Διός, of Jupiter, and ἄνθος flower, i.e., Jove's own flower.)
D. Armèria, L. (Deptford Pink.) Annual; flowers clustered; bractlets of the calyx and bracts lance-awl-form, herbaceous, downy, as long as the tube; leaves linear, hairy; petals small, rose-color with white dots, crenate.—Fields, etc., eastward. July. (Adv. from Eu.)
D. pròlifer, L. Annual, smooth, slender; flowers clustered; bractlets ovate, dry, concealing the calyx; leaves few, narrow, linear, erect; petals small, pink.—N. J. and E. Penn. (Adv. from Eu.)
D. deltoìdes, L. (Maiden Pink.) Perennial; leaves short, narrowly lanceolate, downy and roughish; flowers solitary; bracts ovate, half as long as the tube; petals rose-color or white, toothed.—Mich., L. H. Bailey. (Nat. from Eu.)
D. barbàtus, L. (Sweet William.) Perennial; flowers fascicled; leaves large, lanceolate; bracts filiform-attenuate, equalling the calyx.—Sparingly spontaneous. (Adv. from Eu.)
2. GYPSÓPHILA, L.
Calyx narrowly top shaped or campanulate, 5-nerved, 5-toothed, naked at base. Petals not crowned. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Pod 1-celled, 4-valved at the apex, sessile.—Slender glaucous annuals or perennials, with numerous small flowers. (Name from γύψος, gypsum, and φιλεῖν, to love.)
G. muràlis, L. Annual, much branched; leaves very narrowly linear; flowers on slender pedicels, solitary in the forks; calyx turbinate, the teeth short, obtuse; petals purplish, crenate or emarginate.—Sparingly naturalized. (Nat. from Eu.)
3. SAPONÀRIA, L.
Calyx narrowly ovoid or oblong, 5-toothed, obscurely nerved, naked. Stamens 10. Styles 2. Pod 1-celled, or incompletely 2–4-celled at base, 4-toothed at the apex.—Coarse annuals or perennial, with large flowers. (Name from sapo, soap, the mucilaginous juice forming a lather with water.)
S. officinàlis, L. (Soapwort. Bouncing Bet.) Flowers in corymbed clusters; calyx terete; petals crowned with an appendage at the top of the claw; leaves oval-lanceolate.—Roadsides, etc. July–Sept.—A stout perennial, with large rose-colored flowers, commonly double. (Adv. from Eu.)
S. Vaccària, L. Annual, glabrous; flowers in corymbed cymes; calyx 5-angled, enlarged and wing-angled in fruit; petals pale red, not crowned; leaves ovate-lanceolate. (Vaccaria vulgaris,