Silene suksdorfii
Silene polypetala
Cascade alpine campion, Cascade alpine catchfly, Cascade catchfly, Suksdorf's catchfly, Suksdorf's silene
eastern fringe catchfly, fringe campion
numerous, erect, simple, 3–15 cm, pubescent, viscid-glandular distally.
decumbent to ascending, scarcely branched, weak, leafy, with several basal, procumbent, nonflowering shoots, 10–40 cm, softly pilose.
mostly basal, densely tufted;
basal numerous, pseudopetiolate, blade narrowly oblanceolate, tapering into base, 0.5–3 cm × 1.5–4 mm, ± fleshy, apex acute, puberulent;
cauline in 1–3 pairs, ± sessile, reduced, blade narrowly oblanceolate to linear-lanceolate, 0.7–2 cm × 1–3 mm, apex acute, puberulent.
2 per node, blade 2–9 cm × 10–25 mm;
proximal petiolate, petiole ciliate, blade broadly oblanceolate;
distal sessile, blade obovate to elliptic or lanceolate, spatulate, margins ciliate, apex acute or obtuse, apiculate, glabrous to sparsely pilose.
flowers terminal, solitary, or in single dichotomy, bracteate;
bracts leaflike, 3–15 mm.
terminal, cymose, usually 3-flowered, open, bracteate;
bracts foliaceous.
erect, ca. equaling calyx, viscid glandular-pubescent, hairs with purple septa.
shorter than calyx, pilose, with colorless, large, stipitate glands.
calyx prominently 10-veined, campanulate, not contracted proximally around carpophore, 10–15 × 5–7 mm, papery, veins parallel, purplish, with pale commissures, with purple-septate glandular hairs (rarely septa not purple), lobes ovate, ca. 2 mm, margins broad, membranous, apex obtuse;
corolla off-white or tinged with dusky purple, clawed, claw equaling calyx, broadened distally, limb 2-lobed, 3–5 mm, appendages ca. 1 mm;
stamens equaling calyx;
styles 3(–4), equaling calyx.
calyx prominently 10-veined, funnelform, umbilicate in fruit, constricted around carpophore, 20–28 × 5–9 mm, broadening distally, papery, thinly pilose, veins parallel, green, with pale commissures, lobes lanceolate, 4–7 mm, apex acute;
corolla showy, pink or white, large, clawed, claw equaling calyx, limb fan-shaped, 15–25 mm, laciniate into many narrow segments, appendages absent;
stamens equaling calyx;
stigmas 3(–4), equaling calyx.
equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8) teeth;
carpophore 2.5–3.5 mm.
ovoid, included in calyx, opening by 6 (or 8) teeth;
carpophore 7–10 mm.
brown, broadly winged, reniform, 1–2 mm, rugose-tessellate.
dark reddish brown, broadly reniform, ca. 1 mm, rugose on sides, margins papillate.
= 48.
= 48.
Silene suksdorfii
Silene polypetala
Silene suksdorfii appears to be closely related to S. parryi but differs in its broadly winged seeds, smaller size, cespitose habit, and the prominent purple-septate hairs of the calyx, although the latter occasionally are present in S. parryi. It is very similar to, and in Idaho appears to intergrade with, another alpine species, S. sargentii, which has linear leaves and lacks the purple septa in the hairs and the broad wing on the seeds. It is similar also to S. hitchguirei; see discussion under that species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
There is an old collection (Mohr 4000, MO) labelled “Alabama” without date. I have no other records of the occurrence of Silene polypetala in that state.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local floras:
CA, 
OR, 
WA - Local Web sites: CalFlora, CalPhotos,
Flora NW, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
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