Silene suksdorfii |
Silene spaldingii |
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Cascade alpine campion, Cascade alpine catchfly, Cascade catchfly, Suksdorf's catchfly, Suksdorf's silene |
Spalding's campion, Spalding's catchfly, Spalding's catchfly or campion, Spalding's silene |
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Habit | Plants perennial, cespitose, with decumbent subterranean shoots; taproot stout; caudex branched, woody. | Plants perennial, viscid; taproot stout; caudex branched, woody, producing several to many shoots. |
Stems | numerous, erect, simple, 3–15 cm, pubescent, viscid-glandular distally. |
erect, branched, leafy, 20–60 cm, villose-tomentose, viscid-glandular. |
Leaves | 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, connate proximally, sessile, largest in mid stem; blade lanceolate, 3–7 cm × 5–15 mm, apex acute, glandular-tomentose throughout. |
Inflorescences | flowers terminal, solitary, or in single dichotomy, bracteate; bracts leaflike, 3–15 mm. |
open, leafy cymes, bracteate, viscid and glandular-tomentose, branches ascending, mostly floriferous, flowers terminal and at distal nodes; bracts leaflike, 5–30 mm. |
Pedicels | erect, ca. equaling calyx, viscid glandular-pubescent, hairs with purple septa. |
shorter than calyx. |
Flowers | 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 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. |
Capsules | equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8) teeth; carpophore 2.5–3.5 mm. |
ellipsoid, slightly longer than calyx, opening by 6 teeth; carpophore 1.5–2.5 mm. |
Seeds | brown, broadly winged, reniform, 1–2 mm, rugose-tessellate. |
yellowish brown, winged, reniform, ca. 2 mm, rugose; wing broad, wrinkled. |
2n | = 48. |
= 48. |
Silene suksdorfii |
Silene spaldingii |
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Phenology | Flowering summer. | Flowering summer. |
Habitat | Alpine ridges, gravel slopes, talus | Mixed prairie and ponderosa pine forests in swales and on dry hillsides |
Elevation | 1600-3000 m (5200-9800 ft) | 800-1100 m (2600-3600 ft) |
Distribution |
CA; OR; WA
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ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
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Discussion | 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. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 209. | FNA vol. 5, p. 207. |
Parent taxa | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene | Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Caryophylloideae > Silene |
Sibling taxa | ||
Name authority | B. L. Robinson: Bot. Gaz. 16: 44, plate 6, figs. 9–11. (1891) | S. Watson: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 10: 344. (1875) |
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