Silene ovata
Silene occidentalis
Blue Ridge catchfly, ovate-leaf campion or catchfly, ovate-leaf catchfly
western campion, western catchfly
erect, usually simple, 30–150 cm, with short, dense, eglandular pubescence, sparsely so toward base.
erect, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–60 cm, softly pubescent and 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.
2 per node;
basal ± petiolate, petiole ciliate, blade oblanceolate, spatulate, 5–12 cm × 7–20 mm, apex acute, short-pubescent on both surfaces;
cauline in 3(–4) pairs, reduced distally, blade oblanceolate to lanceolate.
paniculate, narrow, many-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, 10–50 × 3–5 cm, densely puberulent;
bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3–15 mm, apex acuminate;
peduncle ascending.
open, narrow, with ascending branches, 9–25-flowered, bracteate, pubescent and stipitate-glandular;
bracts narrowly lanceolate, ciliate.
ascending, recurved near apex, ca. equaling calyx.
1/2–3 times longer than calyx.
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, tubular in flower and fruit, umbilicate, somewhat constricted around carpophore, 15–38 × 3–6 mm, papery, sparsely pubescent and stipitate-glandular, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, lobes 5, broadly ovate, 2–4 mm, scarious around green midrib;
corolla pink or rose red (rarely white), clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb oblong, fanlike, deeply 4-lobed, lobes divergent, lanceolate (rarely with only 2 lobes, each with small lateral tooth), (7–)10–20 mm, appendages linear, 2–4 mm;
stamens exserted, shorter than petals;
stigmas 3, shorter than petals.
narrowly ovoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 3 (splitting into 6) ascending teeth;
carpophore 2–2.5 mm.
narrowly ovate-elliptic, longer than calyx, opening by 6 recurved teeth;
carpophore 4–18 mm.
dark brown, reniform, 0.8–1.5 mm, shallowly tuberculate.
grayish brown, reniform, 1–1.5 mm, verrucate.
= 48.
= 48.
Silene ovata
Silene occidentalis
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.)
The long, tubular calyx and the proportionally long carpophore of Silene occidentalis are remarkable. Plants with the longest calyx tubes (more than 30 mm) have been referred to subsp. longistipitata and appear to be confined to Butte County. Calyx length varies greatly, however, and it is doubtful whether it is a justifiable basis for taxonomic recognition. The deeply lobed pink petals, together with its habit, give S. occidentalis a superficial resemblance to the European S. flos-cuculi, which occurs as an introduction on both sides of the North American continent.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
CA
