Spalding's campion (Silene spaldingii) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 3

Species Information

Name and classification

Scientific name
Silene spaldingii S. Wats.
Synonyms
none
Common name
Spalding’s campion
Family
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)
Major plant group
Dicot flowering plant

Description

Silene spaldingii is a light-green perennial herb growing from a simple or branched stem base (Figure 1). The 20-60 cm tall stems are erect, branched above, long, woolly-hairy and more or less glandular-hairy. The basal leaves are few and soon deciduous. Stem leaves are opposite, with 4-7 pairs, oblanceolate below to lanceolate above, long woolly-hairy and more or less glandular-hairy, 6-7 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm wide, unstalked and slightly fused, with stipules lacking. The inflorescence consists of several to many flowers in a leafy and usually compact cluster (Figure 2). The 5 petals are white, and stalk-like at the bases; the stalks are about 15 mm long while the blades are very short, egg-shaped, about 2 mm long, entire or shallowly notched at the tip, with appendages 4 (5-6). The 5 sepals are united, 10-nerved, forming a tube about 15 mm long at flowering time, becoming more nearly club- or bell-shaped in fruit. The capsules are oblong and 1-celled, and the seeds are light brown, 2.0 mm long, corrugate-wrinkled and inflated.

Figure 1.  Illustration of Silene spaldingii (from Douglas and MacKinnon 1998, with permission): plant growth form (left and bottom centre) and highly enlarged calyx (top centre) and single petal (top right).

Figure 1.  Illustration of Silene spaldingii (from Douglas and MacKinnon 1998, with permission): plant growth form (left and bottom centre) and highly enlarged calyx (top centre) and single petal (top right)

Figure 2. Silene spaldingii at Tobacco Plains, British Columbia (Photo courtesy of Mike Miller).

Figure 2. Silene spaldingii at Tobacco Plains, British Columbia

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