Silene scouleri
Encyclopedia
Silene scouleri is a species of flowering plant in the pink family
known by the common name simple campion. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to California
to Colorado
. There are at least three subspecies which all vary in size, shape, habitat preference, and distribution. Some individuals are difficult to assign to a subspecies. In general, the species is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems from a woody, branching caudex
. The stem is usually unbranched, or simple, giving the plant its common name. The inflorescence
may have few or many flowers in a dense or open cluster. Each flower has a tubular or bell-shaped calyx of fused sepal
s which has stark purple or green veins. The petals are white, sometimes with a greenish or pinkish tinge, or solid pink. They may have two to four lobes which are wide or narrow, rounded or pointed.
Hall's catchfly (ssp. hallii) can be found in several areas of the Rocky Mountains
, especially in Colorado
. It has white, greenish, pinkish, or purple-tipped petals with two lobes, often with teeth along the sides.
Scouler's catchfly (ssp. scouleri) can be found along the Pacific coast
from British Columbia to central California, and some areas inland. It grows in coastal prairie, bluffs, and other habitat. Its petals are white or pinkish, with two or four lobes and sometimes lateral teeth.
Pringle's catchfly (ssp. pringlei) is known from the American southwest, where it grows in mountains and canyons. It is slender and hairy. The petals are white, or green- or purple-tinged, and are deeply divided into fringelike lobes.
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 simple campion. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
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...
to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. There are at least three subspecies which all vary in size, shape, habitat preference, and distribution. Some individuals are difficult to assign to a subspecies. In general, the species is a perennial herb producing one or more erect stems from a woody, branching 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...
. The stem is usually unbranched, or simple, giving the plant its common name. 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...
may have few or many flowers in a dense or open cluster. Each flower has a tubular or 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 which has stark purple or green veins. The petals are white, sometimes with a greenish or pinkish tinge, or solid pink. They may have two to four lobes which are wide or narrow, rounded or pointed.
Hall's catchfly (ssp. hallii) can be found in several areas of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, especially in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. It has white, greenish, pinkish, or purple-tipped petals with two lobes, often with teeth along the sides.
Scouler's catchfly (ssp. scouleri) can be found along the Pacific coast
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
from British Columbia to central California, and some areas inland. It grows in coastal prairie, bluffs, and other habitat. Its petals are white or pinkish, with two or four lobes and sometimes lateral teeth.
Pringle's catchfly (ssp. pringlei) is known from the American southwest, where it grows in mountains and canyons. It is slender and hairy. The petals are white, or green- or purple-tinged, and are deeply divided into fringelike lobes.