Silene stellata
Silene rotundifolia
starry campion, widow's frill
round-leaf catchfly
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
several, straggling to erect, freely branched, 2–7 cm, pilose and glandular, sparsely so proximally.
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 leaves withered at time of flowering, distal sessile, proximal petiolate, largest on mid to distal stem;
blade subrotund to broadly ovate-lanceolate, 3–10 cm × 20–70 mm, base cuneate into petiole, apex short-acuminate, sparsely short-pilose.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
cymose, open, few-flowered, leafy, bracteate;
bracts resembling distal leaves.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
1–3(–4) cm, viscid, with long septate-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 indistinctly veined, tubular, broadened distally, constricted towards base around carpophore, ± umbilicate, 20–25 × 5–8 mm, herbaceous, glandular-pilose, lobes triangular, 3–4 mm, margins narrow, membranous, ciliate;
corolla scarlet, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb deeply 2-lobed, 10–15 mm, lobes lanceolate, sometimes with 2 smaller lateral teeth, ciliate, appendages saccate, 1–1.5 mm, with clear area abaxially;
stamens shortly exserted;
styles 3, shortly exserted.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
narrowly ellipsoid, not distending calyx, included within it, opening by 6 teeth;
carpophore 6–8 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
gray, broadly reniform, plump, ca. 1 mm, shallowly papillate.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene rotundifolia
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 rotundifolia is clearly related to S. laciniata but is a well-marked species of the deciduous forest region.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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