Silene oregana |
Silene ovata |
|
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Oregon campion, Oregon catchfly, Oregon silene |
Blue Ridge catchfly, ovate-leaf campion or catchfly, ovate-leaf catchfly |
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Habit | Plants perennial; taproot stout; caudex simple or sparsely branched, woody. | Plants perennial, rhizomatous; rhizome creeping. |
Stems | usually simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–50(–70) cm, puberulent and shortly stipitate-glandular, especially distally. |
erect, usually simple, 30–150 cm, with short, dense, eglandular pubescence, sparsely so toward base. |
Leaves | 2 per node, gradually reduced distally; basal petiolate, blade oblanceolate, spatulate, 5–9 cm × 7–15 mm (including petiole), apex acute to obtuse, usually glabrous adaxially, sparsely pubescent abaxially; cauline in 4–6 pairs, blade linear-lanceolate, 1–6(–8) cm × 2–6 mm, puberulent and shortly stipitate-glandular. |
sessile, 2 per node; blade prominently 3–5-veined, ovate-acuminate, round at base, (4–)6–10(–13) cm × (20–)30–50(–90) mm, appressed-pubescent on both surfaces. |
Inflorescences | thyrsate, 3–25-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, stipitate-glandular, viscid; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2–25 mm, apex acuminate. |
paniculate, narrow, many-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, 10–50 × 3–5 cm, densely puberulent; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3–15 mm, apex acuminate; peduncle ascending. |
Pedicels | ascending. |
ascending, recurved near apex, ca. equaling calyx. |
Flowers | calyx prominently 10-veined, narrowly campanulate, umbilicate, somewhat clavate and constricted below middle around carpophore, 9–15 × 3–4 mm in flower, broadening to 7 mm in fruit, membranous, shortly stipitate-glandular, veins parallel, slender, tinged dark red, with pale commissures, lobes ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 2–3 mm, margins scarious; corolla creamy white, sometimes pink tinged, clawed, claw equaling calyx, glabrous, broadening only slightly into limb 3–8 mm, limb with 4–6 linear lobes, some splitting to 10 linear segments, appendages 4–6, linear, 1–1.5 mm, apex acute; stamens ca. equaling petals; filaments glabrous; stigmas 3(–5), ca. equaling petals. |
nocturnal; calyx prominently 10-veined, tubular to narrowly campanulate and 6–9 × 3–4 mm in flower, turbinate and 10–12 × 4–5 mm in fruit, narrowed proximally around carpophore, veins parallel, green, broad, with pale commissures, puberulent, sometimes with few glands, lobes triangular-acute, 2–3 mm; corolla white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, broadened into limb, limb obtriangular, deeply lobed, 7–9 mm, lobes ca. 8, linear, appendages minute; stamens slightly longer than corolla; styles 3, ca. 2 times as long as corolla. |
Capsules | ellipsoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) very brittle teeth; carpophore 2–4 mm. |
narrowly ovoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 3 (splitting into 6) ascending teeth; carpophore 2–2.5 mm. |
Seeds | brown, ± reniform, angular, glossy, shallowly tuberculate. |
dark brown, reniform, 0.8–1.5 mm, shallowly tuberculate. |
2n | = 48. |
= 48. |
Silene oregana |
Silene ovata |
|
Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering late summer–fall. |
Habitat | Dry, grassy slopes, rocky areas, open woodlands and forests | Rich woods |
Elevation | 1500-2800 m (4900-9200 ft) | 1000-1900 m (3300-6200 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
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AL; AR; GA; KY; MS; NC; SC; TN; VA
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Discussion | The creamy white laciniate petals are the best field (and herbarium) guide to distinguishing this species from Silene parryi and S. scouleri, both of which have 2–4-lobed petals that are usually dingy cream to greenish or purple tinged. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Of conservation concern. Silene ovata is a very distinctive species with large, ovate, acuminate, sessile, paired leaves, and very narrowly lobed white petals. The flowers open at night and are moth-pollinated. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 196. | FNA vol. 5. |
Parent taxa | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | S. filisecta, S. gormanii, S. oregana var. filisecta | |
Name authority | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 343. (1875) | Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 1: 316. (1813) |
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