Silene regia |
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royal catchfly |
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Habit | Plants perennial; taproot stout, fleshy. |
Stems | several, erect, simple proximal to inflorescence, 50–160 cm, glabrous to sparsely retrorse-puberulent proximally, more densely so and glandular distally. |
Leaves | withered towards base at anthesis, in 10–20 pairs, sessile, gradually reduced distally; blade 3-veined, lanceolate to ovate, rounded into base, 4–12 cm × 20–50 mm, apex acute, not acuminate, glabrous to scabrous-puberulent adaxially, scabrous-puberulent abaxially. |
Inflorescences | terminal, cymose, compound, many-flowered, bracteate, pedunculate, 15–25(–30) × 5–10 cm; bracts lanceolate, 3–30 mm; peduncle ascending. |
Pedicels | 1–4 times longer than calyx, stipitate-glandular, puberulent. |
Flowers | calyx prominently 10-veined, tubular in flower, 18–25 × 3–4 mm, swelling in middle to 6–9 mm in fruit, umbilicate, constricted near base around carpophore, glandular-pubescent, especially on veins, veins green, lobes 2–4 mm, midrib lanceolate, margins often red tinged, broad, membranous; corolla scarlet, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb oblong to elliptic, unlobed, rarely emarginate or shallowly 2-lobed, 10–20 × 5–6 mm, apex rounded, appendages 2, tubular, 2–4 mm; stamens exserted; styles 3(–5), exserted. |
Capsules | ovoid-ellipsoid, narrowed at both ends, equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) ascending teeth; carpophore 3–5 mm. |
Seeds | dark reddish brown, reniform, 1.5–2 mm, with smooth and glossy, flat or concave sides, margins angled, shallowly rugose. |
2n | = 48. |
Silene regia |
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Phenology | Flowering summer–fall. |
Habitat | Dry prairies, rocky open woods, woodland edges and thickets |
Elevation | 100-400 m (300-1300 ft) |
Distribution |
AL; AR; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MO; OH; TN
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Discussion | Silene regia is a very distinct, spectacular species with tall stems, a narrow, many-flowered inflorescence, and bright red petals. It is probably related to S. laciniata via S. subciliata. Silene regia is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 200. |
Parent taxa | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene |
Sibling taxa | |
Synonyms | Melandrium illinoense, Melandrium reginum |
Name authority | Sims: Bot. Mag. 41: plate 1724. (1815) |
Web links |