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royal catchfly

Oregon campion, Oregon catchfly, Oregon silene

Habit Plants perennial; taproot stout, fleshy. Plants perennial; taproot stout; caudex simple or sparsely branched, woody.
Stems

several, erect, simple proximal to inflorescence, 50–160 cm, glabrous to sparsely retrorse-puberulent proximally, more densely so and glandular distally.

usually simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–50(–70) cm, puberulent and shortly stipitate-glandular, especially 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.

2 per node, gradually reduced distally;

basal petiolate, blade oblanceolate, spatulate, 5–9 cm × 7–15 mm (including petiole), apex acute to obtuse, usually glabrous adaxially, sparsely pubescent abaxially;

cauline in 4–6 pairs, blade linear-lanceolate, 1–6(–8) cm × 2–6 mm, puberulent and shortly stipitate-glandular.

Inflorescences

terminal, cymose, compound, many-flowered, bracteate, pedunculate, 15–25(–30) × 5–10 cm;

bracts lanceolate, 3–30 mm;

peduncle ascending.

thyrsate, 3–25-flowered, open, bracteate, pedunculate, stipitate-glandular, viscid;

bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2–25 mm, apex acuminate.

Pedicels

1–4 times longer than calyx, stipitate-glandular, puberulent.

ascending.

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.

calyx prominently 10-veined, narrowly campanulate, umbilicate, somewhat clavate and constricted below middle around carpophore, 9–15 × 3–4 mm in flower, broadening to 7 mm in fruit, membranous, shortly stipitate-glandular, veins parallel, slender, tinged dark red, with pale commissures, lobes ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, 2–3 mm, margins scarious;

corolla creamy white, sometimes pink tinged, clawed, claw equaling calyx, glabrous, broadening only slightly into limb 3–8 mm, limb with 4–6 linear lobes, some splitting to 10 linear segments, appendages 4–6, linear, 1–1.5 mm, apex acute;

stamens ca. equaling petals;

filaments glabrous;

stigmas 3(–5), ca. equaling petals.

Capsules

ovoid-ellipsoid, narrowed at both ends, equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) ascending teeth;

carpophore 3–5 mm.

ellipsoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) very brittle teeth;

carpophore 2–4 mm.

Seeds

dark reddish brown, reniform, 1.5–2 mm, with smooth and glossy, flat or concave sides, margins angled, shallowly rugose.

brown, ± reniform, angular, glossy, shallowly tuberculate.

2n

= 48.

= 48.

Silene regia

Silene oregana

Phenology Flowering summer–fall. Flowering summer.
Habitat Dry prairies, rocky open woods, woodland edges and thickets Dry, grassy slopes, rocky areas, open woodlands and forests
Elevation 100-400 m (300-1300 ft) 1500-2800 m (4900-9200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; MO; OH; TN
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
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.)

The creamy white laciniate petals are the best field (and herbarium) guide to distinguishing this species from Silene parryi and S. scouleri, both of which have 2–4-lobed petals that are usually dingy cream to greenish or purple tinged.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 200. FNA vol. 5, p. 196.
Parent taxa Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene
Sibling taxa
S. acaulis, S. antirrhina, S. aperta, S. armeria, S. bernardina, S. bridgesii, S. campanulata, S. caroliniana, S. chalcedonica, S. conica, S. coniflora, S. conoidea, S. coronaria, S. csereii, S. dichotoma, S. dioica, S. douglasii, S. drummondii, S. flos-cuculi, S. gallica, S. grayi, S. hitchguirei, S. hookeri, S. invisa, S. involucrata, S. kingii, S. laciniata, S. latifolia, S. lemmonii, S. marmorensis, S. menziesii, S. nachlingerae, S. nivea, S. noctiflora, S. nuda, S. occidentalis, S. oregana, S. ostenfeldii, S. ovata, S. parishii, S. parryi, S. pendula, S. petersonii, S. plankii, S. polypetala, S. pseudatocion, S. rectiramea, S. repens, S. rotundifolia, S. sargentii, S. scaposa, S. scouleri, S. seelyi, S. serpentinicola, S. sibirica, S. sorensenis, S. spaldingii, S. stellata, S. subciliata, S. suecica, S. suksdorfii, S. thurberi, S. uralensis, S. verecunda, S. virginica, S. viscaria, S. vulgaris, S. williamsii, S. wrightii
S. acaulis, S. antirrhina, S. aperta, S. armeria, S. bernardina, S. bridgesii, S. campanulata, S. caroliniana, S. chalcedonica, S. conica, S. coniflora, S. conoidea, S. coronaria, S. csereii, S. dichotoma, S. dioica, S. douglasii, S. drummondii, S. flos-cuculi, S. gallica, S. grayi, S. hitchguirei, S. hookeri, S. invisa, S. involucrata, S. kingii, S. laciniata, S. latifolia, S. lemmonii, S. marmorensis, S. menziesii, S. nachlingerae, S. nivea, S. noctiflora, S. nuda, S. occidentalis, S. ostenfeldii, S. ovata, S. parishii, S. parryi, S. pendula, S. petersonii, S. plankii, S. polypetala, S. pseudatocion, S. rectiramea, S. regia, S. repens, S. rotundifolia, S. sargentii, S. scaposa, S. scouleri, S. seelyi, S. serpentinicola, S. sibirica, S. sorensenis, S. spaldingii, S. stellata, S. subciliata, S. suecica, S. suksdorfii, S. thurberi, S. uralensis, S. verecunda, S. virginica, S. viscaria, S. vulgaris, S. williamsii, S. wrightii
Synonyms Melandrium illinoense, Melandrium reginum S. filisecta, S. gormanii, S. oregana var. filisecta
Name authority Sims: Bot. Mag. 41: plate 1724. (1815) S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 343. (1875)
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