Silene stellata
Silene grayi
starry campion, widow's frill
Gray's campion, Gray's catchfly, Maui catchfly
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
erect from sometimes decumbent base, little-branched, subscapose with 2–3 pairs of reduced leaves, 10–20(–30) cm, finely retrorse-puberulent proximally, stipitate-glandular and viscid in inflorescence.
withering proximally, in whorls of 4, ± sessile to short-petiolate, largest in mid-stem region;
blade lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3–10 cm × 4–40 mm, apex acuminate, puberulent on both surfaces, sparsely so adaxially.
basal petiolate, blade oblanceolate to spatulate, (1.5–)2–5(–6) cm × 2–7 mm, thick and ± fleshy, apex broadly acute, puberulent on both surfaces;
cauline blades linear-oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 0.5–2 cm × 1–3 mm.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
open, 1–3(–5)-flowered, bracteate;
bracts lanceolate, 2–7 mm, herbaceous.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
erect and straight or slightly deflexed near apex, 5–20 mm, stipitate-glandular, hairs with colorless septa.
calyx obscurely 10-veined, broadly campanulate, becoming obtriangular in fruit, 7–11 × 6–10 mm, herbaceous, margins dentate, very narrow, membranous, sparsely puberulent, lobes broadly triangular, 2–3 mm;
corolla white, ca. 2 times longer than calyx, limb obtriangular, narrowed into claw, divided ca. 1/2 its length into 4–12 lobes, appendages absent;
stamens equaling petals;
styles 3, longer than petals.
calyx prominently 10-veined, in flower broadly cylindric, 8–10 × 3–4 mm, in fruit becoming campanulate and somewhat contracted at base, 8–12 × 5–7 mm, membranous between veins, margins dentate, hairs with colorless septa, veins parallel, purplish, with pale commissures;
lobes ovate, ca. 2 mm, shorter than tube, apex flushed with dark red, shortly apiculate with broad, scarious margins, glandular, puberulent;
petals exserted, pink to dusky purple, clawed, claw equaling or slightly longer than calyx, limb 2-lobed, 3–5 mm, each lobe with lateral tooth, tooth usually small, rarely larger and equaling lobes, appendages 2, 0.7–1.5 mm;
stamens equaling petals;
stigmas 3(–4), equaling petals.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
slightly exceeding calyx, ovoid, opening with 6 (or 8) ascending to slightly recurved teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
pale brown, reniform, 2–3 mm, sides with close radiating ridges, margins broadened and winglike.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene grayi
Silene stellata is a very distinct species with its broadly lanceolate leaves in groups of four at each node, and its brilliant white, multilobed petals. Two varieties are recognized by some workers: var. stellata, with glabrous pedicels; and var. scabrella, with scabrous pedicels. The former tends to have longer, more slender pedicels and be more common towards the northeast, whereas the latter tends to be more western. The correlation of characters and distribution is poor, however, and intermediate plants are often encountered.
Silene stellata was collected near the Grand River, Cambridge, Ontario, in 1941, but was probably introduced there and has not been seen since.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Silene grayi is a small montane relative of S. parryi, but it differs in having small, fleshy leaves (ca. 2–4 cm), most of which are in basal tufts. The seeds are also larger and have a thickened wing. Some plants in the mountains of Washington and Oregon appear to intergrade and need further study.
A hybrid between Silene grayi and S. campanulata has been collected in the Siskiyou Mountains of northern California, an area where both species occur.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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