Silene stellata
Silene rectiramea
starry campion, widow's frill
Grand Canyon campion
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
several, erect from decumbent base, branched, 20–40 cm, sparsely scabrid-puberulent, stipitate-glandular 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;
basal shortly petiolate, blade oblanceolate, apex acute, sparsely puberulent;
cauline sessile, in 3–6 pairs, blade lanceolate to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 3–8 cm × 3–8 mm, apex acute, scabrid-puberulent.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
cymose, open, branches few, ascending, elongate, 5–10 cm, flowers 1–3 per branch, bracteate;
bracts lanceolate, 3–5 mm, apex acute.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
usually shorter than or to 11/2 times calyx, scabrous-puberulent, ± viscid.
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.
bisexual and unisexual, all flowers having bisexual flowers and staminate unisexual flowers, 6–8 mm diam.;
calyx prominently 10-veined, narrowly campanulate in flower, campanulate in fruit, 7–10(–11) × 4–6 mm, only slightly contracted around carpophore, papery and membranous, sparsely scabrid with short glandular-setose hairs, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, margins dentate, lobes broadly ovate (as broad as long), 1–2 mm, not ciliate;
corolla cream or white, tinged purple, claw slightly exceeding calyx, narrowly triangular, auriculate, puberulent at base, limb oblong, 2-lobed, 2–4 mm, lobes entire, appendages 0.1–0.5 mm and broad, entire;
stamens equaling petals;
styles 3, equaling petals, reduced in functionally staminate flowers.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
ovoid-ellipsoid, equaling calyx, opening by 6 spreading teeth;
carpophore ca. 2 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
brown, reniform-triangular, ca. 1 mm; papillate mainly around margin.
= (34), 48.
Silene stellata
Silene rectiramea
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.)
Of conservation concern.
Silene rectiramea is found in the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It is very similar to forms of S. verecunda and to S. thurberi. It is distinguished by its smaller flowers and fruiting calyces that are not or only slightly constricted around the carpophore and tend to be more sparsely pubescent with broader, shorter lobes. Also the appendages smaller and entire.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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