. Field and woodland plants. THE PROCUMBENr IEAULWORT. which are sometimes five in number, arc not close against tlie fruit,as in the last, but spreading. The genus Stellaria includes some plants with pretty, white,star-like flowers, some of which adorn our hedgerows in early most conspicuous of tliese is the Greater Stitcliwort or SatinFlower {S. ), the ilowers of vvhicli are three-quarters of aninch in diameter, and are arranged in loose, leafy cymes. Thesepals have no veins, and are about half as long as the petals, which WAYSIDES AND WASTES IN SPRING 87 are so deeply c
. Field and woodland plants. THE PROCUMBENr IEAULWORT. which are sometimes five in number, arc not close against tlie fruit,as in the last, but spreading. The genus Stellaria includes some plants with pretty, white,star-like flowers, some of which adorn our hedgerows in early most conspicuous of tliese is the Greater Stitcliwort or SatinFlower {S. ), the ilowers of vvhicli are three-quarters of aninch in diameter, and are arranged in loose, leafy cymes. Thesepals have no veins, and are about half as long as the petals, which WAYSIDES AND WASTES IN SPRING 87 are so deeply cleft that the flower, at first sight, appears to possessten instead of five. The Lesser Stitchwort (S. graminea) is a very similar flower,common in dry places, blooming from May to August. The plantis smooth, and does not possess the glaucous hue of the last stem is very straggling and slender, from one to three feet. THE Greater Stitchwort. long ; and the leaves are grasslike, sessile, and acute. The flowersare very similar to those of the Greater Stitchw^ort, but are sepals have each three veins, and are as long as the petals. The Little Chickweed {S. media), so troublesome in our gardens,belongs to the same genus. Its decumbent, branching stem hasa longitudinal line of haks placed alternately on opposite sidesfrom joint to joint ; and its ovate, smooth, succulent leaves areshortly pointed, the lower ones having hairy stalks. The Httlestarlike, white flowers grow from the axils of the leaves, and have 88 FIELD AND WOODLAND. PLANTS each five hairy sepals, as long as the deeply-cleft petals, with narrow,membranous margins. These three species of Stellaria, and, in fact, all the species ofthe genus, are distinguished by their divided petals and the presenceof three styles ; but there is another group of flowers in the sameorder known as the Mouse-ear Chickweeds (Cerastium), also withdivi
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