Silene bernardina
Encyclopedia
Silene bernardina is a species of flowering plant in the pink family
known by the common name Palmer's catchfly. It is native to western North America from Washington and Idaho
to Baja California
, where it grows in several types of habitat, including mountain forests and higher-elevation habitat in alpine climate
s. It is a variable plant and it is divided into several subspecies. In general, it is a perennial herb growing from a taproot
and leafy caudex
unit, the hairy, erect stems growing up to about half a meter tall. The slender stems have glandular, sticky patches on their upper parts. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are up to 8 centimeters long low on the stem and smaller on the distal branches. 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, glandular calyx of fused sepal
s with ten red veins. The calyx is open at the top, revealing five white or purple-pink petals which may be almost 3 centimeters long. The petals have usually four fringelike lobes at the tips and feathery appendages at their bases. The stamen
s and three or four long styles
protrude from the flower's center.
Caryophyllaceae
The Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae and Polygonaceae...
known by the common name Palmer's catchfly. It is native to western North America from Washington and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in several types of habitat, including mountain forests and higher-elevation habitat in alpine climate
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
s. It is a variable plant and it is divided into several subspecies. In general, it is a perennial herb growing from a taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
and leafy caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
unit, the hairy, erect stems growing up to about half a meter tall. The slender stems have glandular, sticky patches on their upper parts. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are up to 8 centimeters long low on the stem and smaller on the distal branches. 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, glandular calyx of fused sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s with ten red veins. The calyx is open at the top, revealing five white or purple-pink petals which may be almost 3 centimeters long. The petals have usually four fringelike lobes at the tips and feathery appendages at their bases. The stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s and three or four long styles
Gynoecium
Gynoecium is most commonly used as a collective term for all carpels in a flower. A carpel is the ovule and seed producing reproductive organ in flowering plants. Carpels are derived from ovule-bearing leaves which evolved to form a closed structure containing the ovules...
protrude from the flower's center.