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Suksdorf's catchfly

Silene acaulis

moss campion

Habit Plants perennial; caudices woody. Plants perennial, mat-forming; caudices woody.
Stems

decumbent to erect, 3–15 cm;

branches many, puberulent, glandular-viscid above.

erect, 3–6(10) cm;

branches many, glabrous.

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.

mostly basal, crowded, linear-subulate to lanceolate, 0.4–1 cm × 0.8–1.5 mm.

Inflorescences

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

pedicels glandular-viscid.

flowers solitary;

pedicels glabrous or glandular hairy.

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 or unisexual; erect;

calyces tubular to campanulate, 7–10 mm, glabrous, obscurely 10-veined, not netted above; pale commissures absent, not inflated in fruit;

lobes 1–2 mm;

tips obtuse; appendages vestigial;

limbs 2.5–3.5 mm, bright pink, rarely white; entire or lobes 2;

stamens exserted (staminate flowers) or not (pistillate flowers);

styles 3, exserted.

Fruits

ovoid;

teeth 6(8);

stalks 2–3.5 mm.

cylindric;

teeth 6;

stalks 1 mm.

Seeds

1–2 mm, brown, winged.

0.8–1 mm, light brown, not winged.

2n

=48.

=24.

Silene suksdorfii

Silene acaulis

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.

Bare rocky slopes, alpine summits, gravel bars. Flowering Jul–Aug. 1600–3000 m. BW. ID, NV, WA; western and northern North America; eastern Asia, Europe. Native.

Silene acaulis is a variable, circumpolar species. Although our material is often cited as variety exscapa, we follow Morton (2005) in not recognizing infraspecific taxa.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 575
Rich Rabeler, Ronald Hartman
Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 568
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. 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
Synonyms Silene acaulis var. exscapa
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