Species: Silene antirrhina L.

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Silene antirrhina L.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Caryophyllaceae

Genus:

Silene

Species Synonyms:

Silene antirrhina var. confinis Fern.
Silene antirrhina var. depauperata Rydb.
Silene antirrhina var. divaricata B.L. Robins.
Silene antirrhina var. laevigata Engelm. & Gray
Silene antirrhina var. subglaber Engelm. & Gray
Silene antirrhina var. vaccarifolia Rydb.

Common Names:

sleepy catchfly
catchfly
sleepy campion
sleepy silene

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southern British Columbia, northeastern Alberta - northwestern Saskatchewan, east-central Saskatchewan - Ontario - Quebec - New Brunswick

Saskatchewan:

northwestern and east-central Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca, Amisk Lake - Souris River Valley

Ecoregion:

Moist Mixed Grassland, Mid-Boreal Lowland, Tazin River Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

sandy meadows and rocky outcrops

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1S2

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Silene antirrhina is threatened because it is uncommon in the province and occurs in two disjunct regions. Most local populations are small. No immediate threats have been identified for this species.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 80 cm

Roots:

taproot slender

Stems:

annual, erect, simple or few-branched, usually forked above, slender, greenish, shiny, glabrous, puberulent above; internodes, at least upper, with a broad glutinous, purplish-black band;

Leaves:

basal leaves 1 – 6 cm long, 2 – 10 mm wide, spatulate to oblanceolate; cauline leaves opposite, sessile, erect to ascending, 5 – 10 pairs, 1 – 5 cm long, 1 – 10 mm wide, apex acute, ciliolate near base

Inflorescence:

cyme few to many-flowered, forked; pedicels 4 – 25 mm long, slender, stiffly erect to ascending; bracts small, leafy

Flowers:

calyx 4 – 10 mm long, tubular, teeth short and triangular, 5 – 10 nerved, glabrous, ciliolate near base, green with purple tips; corolla slightly shorter or longer than calyx, white to pink; stamens included

Fruits:

capsule 3-locular, 6-toothed, about equalling calyx; seeds brownish or greyish black, papillate

*KEY TO SILENE* IN SASKATCHEWAN**

1 Calyx more or less glabrous, if at all pubescent, not glandular	2
1 Leaflets fewer than 7	6

2 Plants cushion-forming; leaves to 1.5 cm long, linear, densely crowded and ciliolate; flowers purple or lavender	S. acaulis var. exscapa
2 Plants not cushion-forming; leaves not as above; flowers white or pink	3

3 Petals pinkish; stem glutinous	S. antirrhina
3 Petals white; stem not glutinous	4

4 Calyx 4 – 5 mm long, 10-nerved	S. sibirica
4 Calyx 8 – 12 mm long, 20-nerved, at least at base	5

5 Calyx inflated at maturity, 20-nerved, nerves connected entire length by a network of veinlets, not constricted at mouth, papery textured; inflorescence open	S. vulgaris
5 Calyx not inflated at maturity, 20-nerved, 10 nerves long, 10 short, veinlets hardly forming a network, calyx constricted at mouth, firm textured; inflorescence narrow	S. cserei

6 Styles 3; capsule opening by 6 teeth	7
6 Styles 5 (4); capsule opening by 5 or 10 teeth	9

7 Calyx nerves 20 – 30	S. conoidea
7 Calyx nerves 10	8

8 Calyx 15 – 30 mm long; corolla claws > 12 mm	S. noctiflora
8 Calyx 5 – 8 mm long; corolla claws 6 – 10 mm	S. menziesii var. menziesii

9 Calyx 5 – 8 mm long; stems generally branched, lax	S. menziesii var. menziesii
9 Calyx > 1 cm; stems branched or unbranched, erect	10

10 Plants dioecious	S. pratensis
10 Plants not dioecious	S. drummondii var. drummondii