Silene stellata
Silene sargentii
starry campion, widow's frill
Sargent's campion, Sargent's catchfly
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
erect, decumbent at base, simple, branched in flowering region, slender, 10–20(–25) cm, sparsely pubescent and glandular.
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;
basal marcescent, densely tufted, long-petiolate, blade linear-oblanceolate, 1–3 cm × 0.5–3 mm, somewhat fleshy, setose-puberulent on both surfaces;
cauline in 1–3 pairs proximal to inflorescence, reduced distally, blade linear, 1–4 cm × 0.5–2 mm.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
1–3-flowered, with terminal flower, usually with 1 or 2 flowers at proximal nodes.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
erect, sometimes slightly bent at apex, 1/4–2 times calyx, viscid glandular-puberulent, septa of hairs colorless.
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, narrowly campanulate, ± umbilicate, not contracted proximally around carpophore, 9–18(–22) × 3–6 mm, papery, glandular-puberulent, viscid, hairs with colorless septa, veins parallel, purple, with pale commissures, lobes with midrib present, triangular, 2–3 mm, margins purple tinged, membranous, often broadened distally into round, crenulate lobe;
corolla off-white, usually pink or purple tinged, to 11/2 times longer than calyx, limb 2-lobed, 2–3 mm, sometimes with 2 small lateral teeth, appendages 2, ovate, 1–1.5 mm;
stamens slightly longer than calyx;
styles 3(–5), equaling petals.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
included in calyx, opening by 6 (or 8 or 10) ascending teeth;
carpophore 1.5–3 mm, woolly.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
brown, reniform, ca. 1.5 mm, rugose on both surfaces, margins with large, inflated papillae.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene sargentii
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 sargentii is very similar to S. suksdorfii, but that species has purple-septate hairs on the calyx and pedicels, whereas those on S. sargentii are colorless (see M. A. T. Showers 1987). Also, the cauline leaves of S. suksdorfii are narrowly oblanceolate rather than linear, and the basal leaves are marcescent. Silene sargentii may be confused with S. bernardina and can intergrade with it in Nevada. However, that species is usually larger with a longer, tubular calyx and petals that are deeply divided into 4–6 narrow lobes, unlike S. sargentii, which has 2-lobed petals.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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