or Chickweed: A genus of the trigynia order, belonging to the pentandria clasps of plants; and, in the natural method, ranking under the 22nd order, Caryophyllae. The characters are: The calyx is quinquephyllous: The corolla consists of five equal petals, longer than the calyx: The stamens consist of five capillary filaments; the anthers are roundish: The pistillum has an oval germen, three filiform styles, and obtuse stigmas: The pericarpium is an ovate unilocular capsule, with three valves: The seeds are roundish and numerous. Of this genus a great number of species are enumerated by some botanical writers; but none of them possess any remarkable properties, except the media, or common chickweed, with white blossoms, which is so well known as to need no particular description.—This species affords a notable influence of what is called the sleep of plants: for, every night, the leaves approach in pairs, so as to include within their upper surfaces the tender rudiments of the new shoots; and the uppermost pair but one at the end of the stalk are furnished with longer leaf-stalks than the others; so that they can close upon the terminating pair, and protect the end of the branch. The young shoots and leaves, when boiled, can hardly be distinguished from spring spinach. They are deemed refrigerating and nutritive, and an excellent food for persons of a consumptive habit of body.—Swine are extremely fond of chickweed; cows and horses eat it; sheep are indifferent to it; and goats refuse it.