The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

Suksdorf's catchfly

Douglas' catchfly

Habit Plants perennial; caudices woody. Plants perennial; caudices woody.
Stems

decumbent to erect, 3–15 cm;

branches many, puberulent, glandular-viscid above.

decumbent to erect, 10–40(70) cm;

branches few to many; grayish white retrorsely puberulent, rarely glandular above.

Leaves

basal narrowly oblanceolate, 0.5–4.5 cm × 1.5–3.5 mm, densely tufted; fleshy;

cauline in 1–3 pairs, linear-lanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm × 1–2 mm, abruptly reduced upward.

basal oblanceolate or elliptic, 2–10 cm × 1.5–13 mm;

cauline ± linear, 1–4 cm × 1–5 mm, gradually reduced upward.

Inflorescences

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

pedicels glandular-viscid.

terminal or axillary; open cymes, not 1-sided;

pedicels grayish white retrorsely puberulent, rarely glandular above.

Flowers

bisexual; erect;

calyces campanulate, not inflated in fruit, 9–12 mm; short-glandular-hairy, prominently 10-veined, not netted above; pale commissures present; commissural veins fork above and fuse with lobe veins, becoming papery;

cell walls of hairs purple;

lobes 1–2 mm;

tips acute to obtuse;

petal claws ciliate at base; appendages 2;

limbs 3–5 mm, white to purplish;

lobes 2;

stamens equaling petal claws;

styles 3(4), equaling petal claws.

bisexual, ascending to erect;

calyces campanulate, strongly (or not) inflated in fruit, 9–15(20) mm; grayish white retrorsely puberulent, rarely glandular, prominently 10-veined, not netted above; pale commissures present; commissural veins fork above and fuse with lobe veins;

lobes 2–3 mm;

tips blunt;

petal claws ciliate at base; appendages 2;

limbs 3–4(13) mm, white to pink or purplish;

lobes 2, 1–2 mm, sometimes with two lateral teeth;

stamens equaling petal claws;

styles 3–5, not to slightly exserted.

Fruits

ovoid;

teeth 6(8);

stalks 2–3.5 mm.

oblong to ovoid;

teeth 3–5;

stalks 3–4 mm.

Seeds

1–2 mm, brown, winged.

1–2 mm, brown, not winged.

2n

=48.

Silene suksdorfii

Silene douglasii

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

Rocky crevices, ridges, slopes. Flowering Jul–Sep. 1600–2800 m. Casc, ECas. CA, WA. Native.

3 varieties. While the grayish white retrorse pubescence is usually diagnostic, some plants may be difficult to distinguish from S. parryi.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 575
Rich Rabeler, Ronald Hartman
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 570
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. vulgaris
S. acaulis, S. antirrhina, S. bernardina, S. bolanderi, S. bridgesii, S. campanulata, S. conoidea, S. dichotoma, S. dioica, 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
Subordinate taxa
S. douglasii var. douglasii, S. douglasii var. oraria, S. douglasii var. rupinae
Web links