Silene stellata
Silene spaldingii
starry campion, widow's frill
Spalding's campion, Spalding's catchfly, Spalding's catchfly or campion, Spalding's silene
several, simple proximal to inflorescence, 30–80 cm, puberulent, becoming subglabrous near base.
erect, branched, leafy, 20–60 cm, villose-tomentose, viscid-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.
2 per node, connate proximally, sessile, largest in mid stem;
blade lanceolate, 3–7 cm × 5–15 mm, apex acute, glandular-tomentose throughout.
paniculate, open, bracteate, bracteolate, branches elongate, puberulent;
bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 2–15 mm.
open, leafy cymes, bracteate, viscid and glandular-tomentose, branches ascending, mostly floriferous, flowers terminal and at distal nodes;
bracts leaflike, 5–30 mm.
straight, often with 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles, slender, 1/2–3 times calyx, glabrous or scabrous-puberulous.
shorter than calyx.
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 obscurely 10-veined, tubular-campanulate, 10–15 × 4–5 mm in flower, becoming clavate and 15–20 × 6–8 mm in fruit, narrowed toward base around carpophore, herbaceous, viscid-pubescent, veins more distinct at base, without conspicuous pale commissures, lobes narrowly lanceolate, 3–6 mm, margins very narrow, membranous, apex blunt;
corolla greenish white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, widened distally, limb emarginate, 2 × 4 mm, appendages 4(–6), ca. 0.5 mm;
stamens equaling petals;
styles 3, equaling petals.
globose, opening by 3 broadly triangular teeth;
carpophore 2–3 mm.
ellipsoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 6 teeth;
carpophore 1.5–2.5 mm.
dark brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm, papillate.
yellowish brown, winged, reniform, ca. 2 mm, rugose;
wing broad, wrinkled.
= (34), 48.
= 48.
Silene stellata
Silene spaldingii
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.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Go Botany
IL Wildflowers
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MD Biodiversity
MI Flora
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants- Local floras:
BC, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites:
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
