Silene ovata
Silene thurberi
Blue Ridge catchfly, ovate-leaf campion or catchfly, ovate-leaf catchfly
Thurber's catchfly, woolly catchfly
erect, usually simple, 30–150 cm, with short, dense, eglandular pubescence, sparsely so toward base.
several, erect, freely branched, leafy, elongate, 30–80 cm, scabrid-puberulent and glandular-viscid.
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 long-petiolate, blade oblanceolate, (2–)5–18 cm × 5–30 mm, base narrowed into petiole, apex ± acute, glandular-puberulent on both surfaces;
cauline not greatly reduced in distal stem, blade 5–15 cm × 10–20 mm, viscid glandular-pubescent, sparsely so in shade forms, proximal petiolate and blade oblanceolate, distal sessile and blade lanceolate, apex acute.
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, elongate, dichotomously branched, branches ascending, bracteate;
bracts leaflike, reduced distally.
ascending, recurved near apex, ca. equaling calyx.
ascending, may be partially deflexed, rather slender, longer than calyx, viscid glandular-pubescent with septate hairs, septa colorless.
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, 8–12 × 2–4 mm, swelling to campanulate and 5–7 mm broad in fruit, not contracted proximally around carpophore, viscid glandular-pubescent, especially on veins, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, those to lobes broadened distally, lobes erect, narrowly lanceolate, 3–4 mm, rigid, setose-scabrous, glandular-viscid, apex recurved;
corolla greenish white, claw equaling calyx, limb 2-lobed, ca. 3 mm, appendages ca. 0.5 mm, margins erose;
stamens equaling petals;
styles 3, equaling petals.
narrowly ovoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 3 (splitting into 6) ascending teeth;
carpophore 2–2.5 mm.
slightly exserted from calyx, narrowly ovoid, opening by 6 teeth;
carpophore 1–2 mm.
dark brown, reniform, 0.8–1.5 mm, shallowly tuberculate.
almost black, ellipsoid-reniform, ca. 1 mm, coarsely papillate;
papillae inflated.
= 48.
= 48.
Silene ovata
Silene thurberi
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 thurberi is a rare, coarse, scabrous, and viscid herb with small, inconspicuous flowers on elongate pseudoracemes or open dichasia. The veins on the small calyces are usually green and conspicuously broaden into the recurved teeth. It is more common in Mexico.
Silene rectiramea is very similar but differs in its somewhat smaller calyx; short, ovate calyx lobes; and entire corolla appendages.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
