Silene ovata
Silene polypetala
Blue Ridge catchfly, ovate-leaf campion or catchfly, ovate-leaf catchfly
eastern fringe catchfly, fringe campion
erect, usually simple, 30–150 cm, with short, dense, eglandular pubescence, sparsely so toward base.
decumbent to ascending, scarcely branched, weak, leafy, with several basal, procumbent, nonflowering shoots, 10–40 cm, softly pilose.
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, blade 2–9 cm × 10–25 mm;
proximal petiolate, petiole ciliate, blade broadly oblanceolate;
distal sessile, blade obovate to elliptic or lanceolate, spatulate, margins ciliate, apex acute or obtuse, apiculate, glabrous to sparsely pilose.
paniculate, narrow, many-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, 10–50 × 3–5 cm, densely puberulent;
bracts narrowly lanceolate, 3–15 mm, apex acuminate;
peduncle ascending.
terminal, cymose, usually 3-flowered, open, bracteate;
bracts foliaceous.
ascending, recurved near apex, ca. equaling calyx.
shorter than calyx, pilose, with colorless, large, stipitate glands.
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, funnelform, umbilicate in fruit, constricted around carpophore, 20–28 × 5–9 mm, broadening distally, papery, thinly pilose, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, lobes lanceolate, 4–7 mm, apex acute;
corolla showy, pink or white, large, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb fan-shaped, 15–25 mm, laciniate into many narrow segments, appendages absent;
stamens equaling calyx;
stigmas 3(–4), equaling calyx.
narrowly ovoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 3 (splitting into 6) ascending teeth;
carpophore 2–2.5 mm.
ovoid, included in calyx, opening by 6 (or 8) teeth;
carpophore 7–10 mm.
dark brown, reniform, 0.8–1.5 mm, shallowly tuberculate.
dark reddish brown, broadly reniform, ca. 1 mm, rugose on sides, margins papillate.
= 48.
= 48.
Silene ovata
Silene polypetala
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.)
Of conservation concern.
There is an old collection (Mohr 4000, MO) labelled “Alabama” without date. I have no other records of the occurrence of Silene polypetala in that state.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
