Silene csereii (Smooth Catchfly) - photos and description
Stamens are purple-tinged.
Pairs of leaves more or less at 90 degrees to the pair of leaves
above and below them.
Pairs of leaves more or less at 90 degrees to the pair of leaves
above and below them.
General: Plants erect with a branching growth habit. Foliage is glaucous, plants are glabrous.
Flowers: Flowers numerous on arching stems, and five petals deeply cleft. The calyx is light pink, slightly inflated, with obscure veining. We measured the calyx to 11 mm long and 6 mm wide. Flowers begin to wilt by 8:30 a.m. The styles are purple-coloured.
Leaves: Leaves are cauline, elliptical, opposite, pairs of leaves more or less at 90 degrees to the pair of leaves above and below them. Leaves are stalkless and thick, somewhat succulent. The leaf highlighted in the photo above was 48 mm long by 19 mm wide.
Height: Listed in Budd's Flora to 70 cm tall, we measured plants to 59 cm.
Habitat: Roadsides, waste places, railroad embankments.
Abundance: Common.
Origin: Introduced.
How to identify this species: 1) The calyx is 8 to 12 mm long (Weeds of Canada). 2) The calyx is only slightly inflated. 3) The calyx is only obscurely veined. 4) The plant is glaucous. 5) The stamens are purple-tinged. 6) Pairs of leaves more or less at 90 degrees to the pair of leaves above and below them.
When and where photographed: Above photos were taken July 16th, weedy sandy prairie, about 25 km east of our home in Regina, SK.