Ragged Robin (Lychnis Flos-Cuculi) (European)

This species, which is also known as Meadow Lychnis, is noteworthy because of the slashed appearance of its five crimson petals. The flower calyx is deeply ribbed and is of a brownish purple color, as is also the upper part of the flower stem; both are sticky and hairy. The name is, of course, from the ragged appearance of the petals and also from their color which approaches that of the breast of the English Robin Red-breast. It is sometimes found in waste land or moist places where it has escaped from cultivation.

Mullein Pink (L. Coronaria) (European)

Mullein Pink (L. Coronaria) (European) is a showy plant with bright crimson petals, five in number; the calyx teeth, or sepals, are twisted. The oblong leaves are seated oppositely upon the stem. The whole plant, stem, leaves and calyx, is quite wooly. It has escaped from gardens and is now local-lp found from Me. to N. Y. and Mich.

A. Bladder Campion. Silene latifolia.

B. Evening Lychnis. Lychnis alba.

Bladder Campion (Silene Latifolia (European.)

We have several Campions, some natives and some introduced. The present species was brought to us from Europe. It has very unusual blossoms, in that the calyx is very inflated, almost globular and handsomely marked with darker green, so as to often give it a very similar appearance to that of the citron melon. The five white petals are cleft in twain for nearly their whole length. The plant branches but slightly, each branch being terminated by a loose, few-flowered cluster. The leaves are quite smooth and grow oppositely on the stem, slightly clasping it with their bases; they are ovate-lanceolate in shape and deep green in color. This species is a very hardy one. It is a perennial and plants spring up from the same root year after year, while numerous new ones are formed from the flower seeds.

It is a common escape from gardens and may be found blooming from June to August along roads or in dry waste places from Quebec to Minn, and south to Va. and Mo.

Evening Lychnis; White Campion (Lychnis Alba) (European)

This is another attractive species introduced from Europe. It gets its common name from the habit of opening towards evening and closing the following morning. The petals are white, deeply cleft and crowned at the base with little petal-like divisions; the calyx is inflated and often deep pink on the ribs. As usual with members of the family, the leaves are smooth edged and in pairs, oppositely on the stem that grows from one to two feet high. These are also found in waste places and along roadsides where they have escaped from gardens, from Me. to N. J. and west to Ohio.

Bouncing Bet; Soapwort. Saponaria officinalis.