Silene stellata
Silene hitchguirei
starry campion, widow's frill
mountain campion
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
several, stiffly erect, 2–10(–12) cm, densely pubescent distally, hairs multicellular, with glandular tip;
stem leaves in 1 or 2 pairs.
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.
blade narrowly oblanceolate and long-spatulate, to 2.5 cm × 4 mm, somewhat fleshy, apex acute, ± glabrous except for ciliate margins.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
1(–3) per flowering stem.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
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.
erect;
mature calyx veined, elliptic, not inflated or thin, 7–10(–12) mm, densely pubescent with purple-septate hairs, margins dentate with 1–1.5 mm lobes, apex acute, outwardly curved, veins not much- broadened distally, intermediate ones shorter than calyx, veins and calyx lobes dark purple;
petals white or pink, to 11/4 times calyx, claw narrow, 10–12 mm, limb not differentiated from claw, obovate, emarginate, ca. 3 mm;
stamens equaling calyx;
styles 5, equaling calyx.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
equaling calyx, opening by 5 teeth, tardily splitting into 10, triangular, outwardly curved.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
brown, reniform to angular, (0.5–)0.7–1(–1.3) mm diam., wrinkled, wing narrow, less than 1/4 diam. of seed.
= (34), 48.
= 24.
Silene stellata
Silene hitchguirei
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 hitchguirei is similar to S. suksdorfii, except that the latter species has larger seeds, an urceolate fruiting calyx with a contracted base, an inflorescence that is sometimes branched with up to three flowers, and short, erect stems that have three or four pairs of leaves. It is probably closely related to S. involucrata subsp. tenella and S. ostenfeldii but differs in its small size, its usually solitary flowers, and short petals. The wing on its small seeds is narrower than that of S. involucrata subsp. tenella, whereas in S. ostenfeldii the wing is completely absent.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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