Silene stellata
Silene invisa
starry campion, widow's frill
red fir catchfly, short-petal campion
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
several, erect, unbranched proximal to inflorescence, 10–40 cm, puberulent.
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.
mostly basal, petiolate, blade oblanceolate or spatulate, 1.5–5 cm × 2–6 mm, apex acute, glabrous except for a few cilia on petiole;
cauline leaves in 2–4 pairs, reduced distally, blade linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2–7 cm × 2–6 mm.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
cymose, 1–3-flowered, open, bracteate;
cyme 1, terminal, often with 1 flower at next node;
bracts linear-lanceolate, 5–20 mm.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
erect, from 0.5 cm, lengthening to 3 cm in fruit, gray and somewhat retrorse-puberulent with stipitate-glandular hairs.
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, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, broadened in lobes, narrowly campanulate and 7–11 × 3–4 mm in flower, campanulate and 8–12 × 4–5 mm in fruit, tending to broaden proximally, glandular-puberulent, lobes 5, erect, lanceolate, 1–2 mm, apex blunt;
petals cream to pink, often tinged with dusky purple, slightly longer than calyx, limb 1–2 mm, unlobed or apex notched;
stamens equaling calyx;
stigmas 3, equaling calyx.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
narrowly ovoid, 10–13 mm, slightly longer than calyx, opening with 6 outwardly curved teeth;
carpophore shorter than 1 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
brown, reniform, angular, 0.7–1 mm, margins with large, balloonlike papillae, sides rugose.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene invisa
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 invisa is found in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada. It is a rare species very similar to S. drummondii, from which it can usually be distinguished by its smaller size, glabrous leaves, and the large, inflated papillae of the seeds. Plants with intermediate characters occur in Nevada and Arizona.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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