Silene stellata
Silene nivea
starry campion, widow's frill
evening campion, snowy campion
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
erect, simple to sparingly branched, leafy, 20–70 cm, glabrous to puberulent, especially distally.
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.
2 per node, sessile or short-petiolate, largest near mid-stem region, reduced and withering proximally, blade elliptic-lanceolate, base cuneate or rounded, apex gradually acuminate and acute, glabrous to puberulent.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
cymose, (1–)3–5(–12)-flowered, open, leafy.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
1/2–21/2 times calyx, apex often becoming deflexed, glabrous to hirsute.
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 green, obscurely 10-veined, broadly tubular to campanulate, ± constricted at base around carpophore with broad umbilicate base, becoming broadly clavate in fruit, 14–17 × 5–9 mm, herbaceous, glabrous or hirsute, veins green, without pale commissures, lobes triangular, 2–3 mm;
corolla white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, expanded distally into 2-lobed limb, limb oblong, 6–7 mm, appendages oblong, 1–1.6 mm, margins ± entire;
stamens short-exserted;
stigmas 3, short-exserted.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
globose, equaling calyx, opening by 3 broad teeth that sometimes split to form 6;
carpophore 5–6 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
dark brown to black, with grayish bloom, broadly reniform, not winged, 0.7–1 mm, sides with concentric crescents of low tubercles, larger and deeper on outer margins.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene nivea
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.)
The green, obscurely veined, umbilicate calyx with its broad base constricted around the carpophore is unique among the North American members of the genus. Silene nivea is occasionally weedy. It was introduced near Québec City (ca. 1969) but did not persist, and probably is not native also in Maine.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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