Silene noctiflora, L. Silene alba, (Miller) E. H. L. Krause Silene alba subsp. alba Silene alba subsp. divaricata, (Reichenb.) Walters Silene alba subsp. eriocalycina Silene dioica, (L.) Clairv.

104. S. noctiflora L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 419 (1753) View Cited Treatment

( Metandrium noctiflorum (L.) Fries ).

Annual; stems up to 40 cm, erect, simple or with few basal branches, densely hairy below, viscid with abundant glandular hairs above. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate; cauline sessile. Inflorescence few-flowered; flowers large, hermaphrodite. Calyx 20-30 mm, 10-veined; teeth long, slender. Petal-limb pink above, yellowish beneath, inrolled during day, opening (and scented) in evening; styles 3. Capsule ovoidconical, more or less enclosed by calyx, dehiscing with 6 teeth. 2w = 24. A weed o f cultivated ground, widespread in Europe, but absent from (or only casual in) much o f the north and many islands. Au Be Br Bu Cr Cz Ga Ge He Ho Hs Hu It Ju Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, K, E) Tu [Da Hb Is No Su].

105. S. alba (Miller) E. H. L. Krause View in CoL in Sturm, Deutschl. FI. ed. 2, 5: 98 (1901)

( Melandrium album (Miller) Garcke ).

Dioecious; short-lived perennial (sometimes annual) up to 80 cm, often much-branched, usually rather densely and softly hairy, and more or less glandular above. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate; cauline sessile. Inflorescence a lax compound dichasium of large flowers, opening in the evening and slightly scented. Calyx of male flowers 15-22 mm, 10-veined; of female 20-30 mm, 20- veined, more or less inflated and accrescent in fruit; calyx-teeth narrowly triangular. Petals usually white; styles 5. Capsule 10-15 mm, more or less ovoid, dehiscing with 10 teeth. Usually a weed o fdisturbed or cultivated ground. Almost throughout Europe. All except Az BI Fa Is Sb; probably not native in Hb.

1 Calyx eglandular; seeds with acute tubercles. (c) subsp. eriocalycina

1 Calyx glandular; seeds with obtuse tubercles

2 Calyx-teeth obtuse; capsule-teeth erect (a) subsp. alba

2 Calyx-teeth acuminate; capsule teeth ±patent or recurved (b) subsp. divaricata

(a) Subsp. alba :

Fruiting calyx glandular, slightly accrescent; teeth obtuse. Capsule teeth erect on dehiscence. Seeds with plane faces and obtuse tubercles. 2n = 24. Widespread.

(b) Subsp. divaricata (Reichenb.) Walters View in CoL , Feddes Repert. 69: 48 (1964)

( Lychnis divaricata Reichenb. , Lychnis macrocarpa Boiss. & Reuter , Melandrium boissieri Schischkin , M. latifolium (Poiret) Maire ):

Fruiting calyx glandular, strongly accrescent and inflated; teeth very long, acuminate. Capsule-teeth more or less patent or recurved on dehiscence. Seeds with concave faces and obtuse tubercles. 2/z = 24. Mediterranean region.

(c) Subsp. eriocalycina View in CoL (Boiss.) Walters, Feddes Repert. 69: 48, (1964)

( Melandrium eriocalycinum Boiss. ):

Like (a) but calyx eglandular and seeds with acute tubercles. E. Mediterranean region. (S.W. Asia.)

Melandrium glutinosum Rouy , Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. 41: 325 (1894), is recorded from Portugal and Spain. It is said to differ in its very viscid stems, its (often) pink flowers opening in the daytime, and its smaller capsule. The density of glandular-hairiness and the petal-colour of 5. alba vary elsewhere in the Mediterranean region, however, and the species needs further investigation.

Melandrium astrachanicum Paez. , Mém. Soc. Nat. Kieff 12 (1): 107 (1892), from south-east Russia (Astrakhan’), is said to differ in its smaller size, narrower leaves and eglandular calyx.

106. S. dioica (L.) Clairv. View in CoL , Man. Herb. 145 (1811)

( Melandrium dioicum (L.) Cosson & Germ. , Melandrium rubrum (Weigel) Garcke , Melandrium silvestre (Schkuhr) Rohling ).

Like 105 but always perennial; stems eglandular or almost so; leaves broadly ovate; flowers usually red, open in daytime; calyx 10- 15 mm, teeth broadly triangular; capsule 10-15 mm, globose to broadly ovoid, dehiscing with recurved teeth. 2/z = 24. Usually in woodland. Most o fEurope, but rare in the south and absent from most o f Russia. Au Be Br Bu Cz D a Fe G a Ge Hb He Ho Hs H u Is It Ju Lu No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W) Su. Widespread and variable in habit; dwarf plants occur on mountains and exposed rocks.

Hybrids with 105, usually having pale pink flowers, occur frequently where the two species meet; they are fully fertile.