Dianthus Dianthus, L.

31. D. caryophyllus L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 410 (1753).

Laxly caespitose, usually glaucous perennial up to 80 cm; woody basal part of stem rather long and not very thick. Leaves 2-4 mm wide, linear, nearly flat. Flowers strongly fragrant. Epicalyx-scales 4, c. | as long as calyx, broadly obovate, cuspidate. Calyx usually 25-30 x 5-7 mm, nearly cylindrical; teeth c. 5 mm, acuminate to subobtuse. Petal-limb 10-15 mm, usually contiguous, glabrous, purple, rarely pink or white, dentate. Widely cultivated and frequently naturalized, but apparently not known wild, except perhaps in some Mediterranean countries (S. Spain, Italy, Sardegna, Sicilia, Ionioi Nisoi). *Gr *Hs *It *Sa *Si.

D. arrostii C. Presi in J. & C. Presi, Del. Prag. 1: 60 (1822), appears to differ only in the patent epicalyx-scales and uniformly pale pink petals.

D. multinervis Vis. , Fl. Dalm. 3: 164 (1852), described from the Adriatic island of Porno, but now extinct, appears to have been close to, or possibly an abnormal form of 31, characterized by the 5- to 9-veined leaves which are described as broadly lanceolate, and by the shorter calyx.