Silene dioica

(Linnaeus) Clairville

Man. Herbor. Suisse, 146. 1811.

Common names: Red campion silène dioïque
Basionym: Lychnis dioica Linnaeus Lychnis rubra (Weigel) Patze
Synonyms: Melandrium dioicum (Linnaeus) Cosson & Germain Melandrium dioicum subsp. rubrum (Weigel) D. Löve Melandrium rubrum unknown
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 181. Mentioned on page 169, 182.
Revision as of 17:38, 18 September 2019 by FNA>Volume Importer

Plants perennial; taproot slender. Stems ascending, decumbent at base, branched, shortly rhizomatous, to 80 cm, softly pubescent, ± glandular, at least distally, rarely subglabrous. Leaves sessile at mid and distal stem, petiolate to spatulate proximally; petiole equaling or longer than blade of basal leaves; blade ovate to elliptic, 3–13 cm × 10–50 mm (not including petiole), apex acute to acuminate, sparingly pubescent, densely so on abaxial midrib. Inflorescences dichasial cymes, several- to many-flowered, open, bracteate; bracts lanceolate, 4–20 × 2–7 mm, herbaceous, softly hairy throughout with long-septate hairs, not glandular, or with some glandular hairs. Pedicels ascending, 0.2–3 cm, usually shorter than calyx. Flowers unisexual, some plants having only staminate flowers, others having only pistillate flowers, 20–25 mm diam.; calyx 8–12-veined, campanulate, narrowly so in staminate flowers, broadly in pistillate, 10–15 × to 7 mm in flower, 11 mm broad in fruit, herbaceous, margins dentate, softly pubescent, lobes 5, erect, lanceolate, 2–3 mm; petals bright pink, clawed, claw equaling or longer than calyx, limb spreading horizontally, broadly obovate, unlobed or 2-lobed, to 12 × 12 mm, appendages 4, ca. 1 mm; stamens and stigmas equaling petal claw; styles 5. Capsules broadly ovoid to globose, equaling and often splitting calyx, opening by 5 (splitting into 10) revolute teeth; carpophore absent. Seeds dark brown to black, broadly reniform, plump, 1–1.6 mm, densely and evenly papillate. 2n = 24.


Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Woodlands, hedges, gardens, riverbanks, open waste places
Elevation: 0-500 m

Distribution

V5 364-distribution-map.gif

B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., Que., Conn., Ill., Iowa, Maine, Md., Mass., Mont., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.Dak., Vt., Wash., Wis., Europe.

Discussion

Silene dioica is closely related to S. latifolia and completely interfertile with it. The two species hybridize wherever they grow in close proximity, and the offspring (S. hampeana Meusel & K. Werner) usually have pale pink flowers. Silene dioica and S. latifolia are difficult to separate in herbarium material unless flower color has been noted. The characters that distinguish S. dioica are the usually dense, long, and soft pubescence covering at least the distal portion of the plant; the broad, almost globose, thin, and brittle capsule with revolute teeth; and the softer, thinner, usually broader leaves. Occasionally, double-flowered plants are encountered as garden escapes.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Silene dioica"
John K. Morton +
(Linnaeus) Clairville +
Lychnis dioica +  and Lychnis rubra +
Red campion +  and silène dioïque +
B.C. +, Man. +, N.B. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, N.S. +, Ont. +, Que. +, Conn. +, Ill. +, Iowa +, Maine +, Md. +, Mass. +, Mont. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Ohio +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.Dak. +, Vt. +, Wash. +, Wis. +  and Europe. +
0-500 m +
Woodlands, hedges, gardens, riverbanks, open waste places +
Flowering summer. +
Man. Herbor. Suisse, +
Melandrium dioicum +, Melandrium dioicum subsp. rubrum +  and Melandrium rubrum +
Silene dioica +
species +