Silene campanulata explained

Silene campanulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Red Mountain catchfly and bell catchfly.^[1] It may be a synonym of Silene greenei.^[2]

It is native to the mountains of Oregon and northern California.

Description

Silene campanulata is a perennial herb growing up to 40cm (20inches) tall with many small shoots coming from a woody, branching caudex with a taproot. The erect stems are usually hairy and often have glandular, sticky patches on their upper parts. The leaves are up to 5cm (02inches) long by 3 cm wide, the lower ones lance-shaped to rounded, and the upper ones linear or oval.

Nodding flowers occur in a terminal cyme at the top of the stem, as well as in some of the leaf axils. Each has a hairy, often glandular calyx of fused sepals. This bell-shaped green or purplish calyx is open at the top, revealing five white, greenish, or pale pink petals. The petals have multilobed or fringed tips. The stamens and three long styles protrude from the flower's center.

Subspecies

Subspecies include:

• Silene campanulata ssp. campanulata — Red Mountain catchfly; endemic to California;^[3] designated as endangered under the California Endangered Species Act.^[4]
• Silene campanulata ssp. glandulosa — Bell catchfly, in California and Oregon.^[5]
• Silene campanulata subsp. greenei — Greene's catchfly, in California and Oregon.^[6]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to the mountains of Oregon and northern California, where it grows in forest and chaparral habitat, sometimes on serpentine soils.

External links

• • Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• Flora of North America
• Photo gallery

Notes and References

1. http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=7591 CalFlora Database; Silene campanulata
2. Web site: Silene greenei (S.Watson ex B.L.Rob.) Howell . . 2017 . Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . 3 February 2021 .
3. http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=7592 CalFlora: Silene campanulata ssp. campanulata
4. California Endangered Species Act: killing or possessing this subspecies is prohibited unless permitted by the California Department of Fish and Game (California Fish and Game Code Section 2080).
5. http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=7593 CalFlora: Silene campanulata ssp. glandulosa
6. http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=SICAG2 USDA:Silene campanulata subsp. greenei