Silene petersonii
Silene seelyi
Peterson's campion or catchfly, plateau catchfly
Seely's catchfly, Seely's catchfly or silene, Seely's silene
simple, 5–15 cm, pubescent and viscid, with stipitate glands.
numerous, decumbent to ascending, branched, tufted, leafy, slender, 5–30 cm.
basal with blade 1-veined, oblanceolate, broadly spatulate, 1–4 cm × 2–8 mm, apex obtuse to acute, glandular-puberulent throughout, rarely subglabrous adaxially;
cauline in 3–6 pairs, sessile, reduced distally, blade lanceolate, narrowly elliptic, or oblanceolate, 2–4 cm × 2–8 mm, apex ± acute, glandular-puberulent throughout.
2 per node, sessile or nearly so, blade reticulate-veined, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, thin, 0.8–2 cm × 3–8 mm, broadest proximally, base rounded, apex acute.
usually with solitary terminal flower, sometimes cymose, to 8-flowered, open.
cymose, open, compound, leafy, single flowers borne terminally and in axils of distal leaves;
bracteoles, when present, 2.
erect or angled near tip with flowers slightly nodding, 1–3 times longer than calyx, glandular-puberulent, often densely so.
straight, slender, 1/2–3 times longer than calyx.
calyx prominently 10-veined, campanulate, not contracted proximally around carpophore, 15–20 × 4–8 mm, papery, margins dentate, veins parallel, usually purple tinged, with pale commissures;
lobes ovate, 3–5 mm, glandular-puberulent, midrib triangular, margins purple tinged, broad, membranous, apex obtuse;
corolla bright pink, clawed, claw equaling calyx, broad and ligulate but abruptly contracted into limb, limb broadly cuneate, shallowly to deeply 2–4-lobed, 5–15 mm, lobes broad or narrow, appendages absent or to 2 mm, margins erose;
stamens slightly longer than corolla claw;
stigmas 3(–5), slightly longer than corolla claw.
calyx green, obscurely 10-veined, narrowly campanulate, in fruit 6–9 × 3–4 mm, herbaceous, pubescent, veins without conspicuous pale commissures;
lobes triangular, 2–3 mm;
corolla dark red, sometimes white, clawed, claw slightly longer than calyx, limb deeply 2-lobed, 2–3 mm, appendages 2, very small;
stamens exserted;
styles 3, exserted.
equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) lanceolate teeth;
carpophore 1–2.5 mm.
ellipsoid, included in calyx, opening by 6 teeth;
carpophore ca. 1.5 mm.
brown, broadly reniform, flattened, 2–2.5 mm, rugose, more coarsely so on margins.
brown, not winged, broadly reniform, flattened, ca. 0.8 mm, reticulate.
= 96.
= 24.
Silene petersonii
Silene seelyi
Of conservation concern.
This beautiful alpine species is variable with respect to density of pubescence, flower size, and petal structure. As this variation occurs both within and among populations, little useful purpose is served by giving names to it. The Nevada population, which is the basis for the name Silene clokeyi, is interfertile (A. R. Kruckeberg 1961) with populations in Utah (the basis for the name S. petersonii). Accordingly, a single species is recognized here without infraspecific taxa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Silene seelyi is confined to the Wenatchee Mountains. It closely related to S. menziesii, but is distinguished by its usually dark red flowers and broadly lanceolate leaves.
Silene seelyi is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CalFlora
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
WA
Flora NW
PNW Herbaria
