Silene ovata
Silene invisa
Blue Ridge catchfly, ovate-leaf campion or catchfly, ovate-leaf catchfly
red fir catchfly, short-petal campion
erect, usually simple, 30–150 cm, with short, dense, eglandular pubescence, sparsely so toward base.
several, erect, unbranched proximal to inflorescence, 10–40 cm, puberulent.
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.
mostly basal, petiolate, blade oblanceolate or spatulate, 1.5–5 cm × 2–6 mm, apex acute, glabrous except for a few cilia on petiole;
cauline leaves in 2–4 pairs, reduced distally, blade linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2–7 cm × 2–6 mm.
paniculate, narrow, many-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, 10–50 × 3–5 cm, densely puberulent;
bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3–15 mm, apex acuminate;
peduncle ascending.
cymose, 1–3-flowered, open, bracteate;
cyme 1, terminal, often with 1 flower at next node;
bracts linear-lanceolate, 5–20 mm.
ascending, recurved near apex, ca. equaling calyx.
erect, from 0.5 cm, lengthening to 3 cm in fruit, gray and somewhat retrorse-puberulent with stipitate-glandular hairs.
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.
calyx prominently 10-veined, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, broadened in lobes, narrowly campanulate and 7–11 × 3–4 mm in flower, campanulate and 8–12 × 4–5 mm in fruit, tending to broaden proximally, glandular-puberulent, lobes 5, erect, lanceolate, 1–2 mm, apex blunt;
petals cream to pink, often tinged with dusky purple, slightly longer than calyx, limb 1–2 mm, unlobed or apex notched;
stamens equaling calyx;
stigmas 3, equaling calyx.
narrowly ovoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 3 (splitting into 6) ascending teeth;
carpophore 2–2.5 mm.
narrowly ovoid, 10–13 mm, slightly longer than calyx, opening with 6 outwardly curved teeth;
carpophore shorter than 1 mm.
dark brown, reniform, 0.8–1.5 mm, shallowly tuberculate.
brown, reniform, angular, 0.7–1 mm, margins with large, balloonlike papillae, sides rugose.
= 48.
= 48.
Silene ovata
Silene invisa
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.)
Silene invisa is found in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. It is a rare species very similar to S. drummondii, from which it can usually be distinguished by its smaller size, glabrous leaves, and the large, inflated papillae of the seeds. Plants with intermediate characters occur in Nevada and Arizona.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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USDA Plants Database
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