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Gray's catchfly

Habit Plants perennial; caudices woody.
Stems

decumbent to erect, 10–20(30) cm;

branches many, retrorsely puberulent below, glandular-viscid above.

Leaves

basal narrowly oblanceolate to spatulate, 1.5–4(6) cm × 1–5 mm, densely tufted; fleshy;

cauline linear to oblanceolate, 0.4–1 cm × 1–3 mm, abruptly reduced upward; upper leaves not overlapping pedicels.

Inflorescences

terminal; open cymes, not 1-sided, or flowers solitary;

pedicels glandular hairy.

Flowers

bisexual; erect or sometimes nodding;

calyces broadly cylindric, enlarging and becoming campanulate in fruit, 8–10 mm, glandular-puberulent, prominently 10-veined, not netted above; pale commissures present;

lobes 1–2 mm, apiculate;

petal claws ciliate at base; appendages 2;

limbs 3–5 mm, pink to purplish;

lobes 4, 2 inner > outer;

stamens equaling petal claws;

styles 3(4), equaling petal claws.

Fruits

ovoid;

teeth 6(8);

stalks 1.5–3 mm.

Seeds

2–3 mm, brown, winged.

2n

=48.

Silene ovata

Silene grayi

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Rocky, alpine slopes. Flowering Jun–Aug. 1000–2300 m. Sisk. CA, NV. Native.

Morton (2005) noted that small, alpine plants of S. parryi may be mistaken for S. grayi.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 571
Rich Rabeler, Ronald Hartman
Sibling taxa
S. acaulis, S. antirrhina, S. bernardina, S. bolanderi, S. bridgesii, S. campanulata, S. conoidea, S. dichotoma, S. dioica, S. douglasii, S. gallica, S. grayi, S. hookeri, S. latifolia, S. lemmonii, S. menziesii, S. noctiflora, S. nuda, S. oregana, S. parryi, S. pectinata, S. pendula, S. scaposa, S. scouleri, S. spaldingii, S. suksdorfii, S. vulgaris
S. acaulis, S. antirrhina, S. bernardina, S. bolanderi, S. bridgesii, S. campanulata, S. conoidea, S. dichotoma, S. dioica, S. douglasii, S. gallica, S. hookeri, S. latifolia, S. lemmonii, S. menziesii, S. noctiflora, S. nuda, S. oregana, S. parryi, S. pectinata, S. pendula, S. scaposa, S. scouleri, S. spaldingii, S. suksdorfii, S. vulgaris
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