SILENE SCLEROCARPA
Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Sect. SILENE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Silene cerastoides var. emporitana, Silene clusii,
Silene micropetala.
Meaning:- Silene (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus for
catchfly.
Sclerocarpa (L) Hard fruited.
General description:- Annual (or sometimes short-lived perennial?), usually
branched from the base
Stems:-
1) Ascending 5-20 cm, shortly eglandular-pubescent throughout.
Leaves:-
1) Linear.
Flowers:-
1) 2-6 in lax monochasia.
2) Pedicels, 2-6 mm, erect, slender.
3) Calyx, narrowly ellipsoid at anthesis, with 10 strong, slightly anastomosing veins.
and rigid, forward-directed hairs.
4) Calyx-teeth, linear-lanceolate.
5) Petal-limb, 2-3 mm, shallowly bifid, pink.
6) Anthophore, 1.5-2 mm.
Fruit:-
1) Capsule, pyriform, almost globose at the base, tapering to a distinct neck,
shorter than or equalling the calyx.
2) Seeds, c. 0.8 mm, dark brown, almost smooth, with concave sides and broad,
slightly grooved back.
Key features:-
1) Seed, 0.5-0.6 mm, shoulders laterally bulging, not winged.
2) Inflorescence, a regular monochasium.
3) Lower pedicels, rarely to 10 mm.
4) Calyx, contracted above.
5) Anthophore, 1.5-2 mm.
6) Capsule, globose at the base, narrowed into a neck.
Habitat:- Sandy and gravelly seashores, dry open shrubby vegetation and steppe.
0-150 m.
Distribution:- In Greece not recorded outside the Aegean area. - A S
Mediterranean species, widespread in N Africa and appearing in Europe only in the
far SW (S Spain, S Portugal) and SE. Rare on Crete known from the SE and far E,
coastal areas and one location in the far SW.
Flowering time:- Late March to May.
Photos by:- Currently none available
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
