Cerastium
(from keras, a horn; many of the species have capsules exactly the form of an ox's horn). Mouse-ear Chickweed. ORD. Caryophylleoe. Decumbent hairy hardy annual or perennial herbaceous plants. Flowers white, small. The two species most generally cultivated are Biebersteinii and tomentosum. These are grown principally on account of their silvery foliage. All are of very easy culture in ordinary garden soil, or on the rockery. They are readily propagated by divisions; or by cuttings, inserted in the open ground, and in a shady place, after flowering. The species enumerated below are all perennials. C. alpinum (alpine).* fl. white; panicles rather hairy, few-flowered. June, July. l. ovate, elliptical, or oblong, covered with long silky hairs, or nearly smooth. h. 2in. to 4in. Britain. (Sy. En. B. 223.) C. Biebersteinii (Bieberstein's).* fl. white; stalks erect, dichotomous. Early summer. l. woolly, ovate-lanceolate. Stems branching. h. 6in. Tauria, 1820. Evergreen. Closely allied to C. tomentosum, but with larger leaves and flowers. (B. M. 2782.) C. Boissieri (Boissier's).* fl. white, large; cymes regular, dichotomous. Summer. l. sessile, silvery, usually ovate-lanceolate, acute, entire. h. 4in. to 1ft. Spain.
C. grandiflorum (large-flowered). fl. white, large, conspicuous; peduncles seven to fifteen-flowered, erect; profusely produced. Summer. l. narrow, acute, hoary or woolly; margins somewhat revolute. h. 6in. Eastern Europe. A strong-growing deciduous species, and consequently should only be cultivated where plenty of room can be allowed it.
C. latifolium (broad-leaved). fl. white, solitary, or the peduncle sparingly forked, larger than most of the other species. July. l. ovate, slightly stalked, pale green, or slightly glaucous. h. 3in. to 6in. North Europe (Britain). Deciduous. (Sy. En. B. 224.) C. tomentosum (downy).* fl. white; cymes forked, on erect stalks. Early summer. l. oblong-spathulate, upper ones lanceolate, densely clothed with a greyish tomentum. h. 6in. Southern and Eastern Europe, 1648. This evergreen species is largely employed in almost all gardens for edgings to summer flower-beds, &c. (S. F. G. 455.)