Silene invisa
Encyclopedia
Silene invisa is a species of flowering plant in the pink family
known by the common names red fir catchfly and short-petaled campion. It is endemic to California
, where it is known only from the southernmost Cascade Range
and northernmost Sierra Nevada. It grows in the coniferous forests of the mountains. It is a perennial herb growing up to about 40 centimeters tall from a leafy caudex
and taproot
. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are a few centimeters long low on the plant and smaller farther up the stem. The inflorescence
is a solitary flower or a cyme of up to three flowers at the top of the stem. Each flower has a bell-shaped calyx of fused sepal
s lined with ten green veins and covered in short, glandular hairs. The strap-shaped or rectangular petals have blunt tips or may be notched. They are whitish to pinkish or lavender and sometimes barely protrude from the calyx.
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 names red fir catchfly and short-petaled campion. It is endemic to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where it is known only from the southernmost Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
and northernmost Sierra Nevada. It grows in the coniferous forests of the mountains. It is a perennial herb growing up to about 40 centimeters tall from a 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...
and 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...
. The linear or lance-shaped leaves are a few centimeters long low on the plant and smaller farther up the stem. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a solitary flower or a cyme of up to three flowers at the top of the stem. Each flower has a bell-shaped 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 lined with ten green veins and covered in short, glandular hairs. The strap-shaped or rectangular petals have blunt tips or may be notched. They are whitish to pinkish or lavender and sometimes barely protrude from the calyx.