Silene is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Containing nearly 900 species, it is the largest genus in the family. Common names include campion and catchfly. Many Silene species are widely distributed, particularly in the northern hemisphere.
Silene antirrhina is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names sleepy silene and sleepy catchfly. It is native to the Americas, where it is widespread throughout North America and parts of South America. It is known in Europe as an introduced species.
Silene aperta is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names naked catchfly and Tulare campion. It is endemic to Tulare County, California, where it is known only from the coniferous forests of the High Sierra Nevada. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody, branching caudex sending up several erect stems up to about 60 centimeters tall. The lower leaves are linear in shape, up to 12 centimeters long but less than one wide. Leaves higher on the stem are smaller. The flower has a hairy, tubular calyx of fused sepals with ten veins. The calyx is open at the top, revealing five white or yellow-green petals each 1 to 2 centimeters long.
Silene bernardina is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name Palmer's catchfly.
Silene bridgesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name Bridges' catchfly. It is native to California, where it can be found throughout the Sierra Nevada and the southern reaches of the Cascade Range to the north, its distribution possibly extending into Oregon. It grows in mountain forests and woodlands. It is a perennial herb growing from a taproot and woody caudex unit, its stem decumbent or growing erect to half a meter or more in height. It is hairy, the upper hairs glandular, making the plant sticky in texture. The lower leaves are widely lance-shaped, up to 8 centimeters long by 1.5 wide. Upper leaves are smaller. Flowers occur in a terminal cyme at the top of the stem, as well as in some of the leaf axils, where they nod or hang like a bell. Each has a hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals with ten veins. The calyx is open at the tip, revealing five white, pinkish, or greenish petals each with two rectangular lobes at the tip. The very long stamens and three styles protrude from the flower's center.
Silene serpentinicola is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name serpentine Indian pink and serpentine catchfly.
Silene campanulata is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Red Mountain catchfly and bell catchfly.
Silene conoidea is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names weed silene and large sand catchfly. It is native to Eurasia, and it is known in other parts of the world, such as western North America, as a weed. It is an annual herb growing up to a meter in height with a hairy, partially glandular stem. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 12 centimeters long near the base of the plant and smaller farther up. The flower is enclosed in an inflated, hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals which is ridged with many veins. It is open at the top, revealing five bright pink petals.
Silene dichotoma is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name forked catchfly. It is native to Eurasia and it is known in other parts of the temperate world, such as sections of North America, where it is a weed that grows in disturbed habitat. It is an annual herb growing up to 80 centimeters tall. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 8 centimeters long on the lower stem and are smaller farther up. Each flower is encapsulated in an inflated calyx of sepals lined with ten veins. It is open at the tip, revealing five white to red petals, each with two lobes at the tip and sometimes taking a curled form.
Silene douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name Douglas's catchfly.
Silene hookeri is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Hooker's silene, Hooker's catchfly, Hooker's Indian pink, and Hooker's glandular campion.
Silene lemmonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name Lemmon's catchfly.
Silene marmorensis is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Marble Mountain catchfly, Marble Mountain campion, and Somes Bar campion. It is endemic to the southern Klamath Mountains of northern California, where it grows in mountain woodlands and forests. It is a perennial herb producing several stems and shoots from a woody, branching caudex and thick taproot. The hairy, glandular stems grow erect to a maximum height near 40 centimeters. The lance-shaped leaves are a few centimeters long and are borne in pairs, the lowermost drying early. The inflorescence is a terminal cyme of flowers at the top of the stem, and some flowers may occur in the leaf axils. Each flower has a hairy, veined calyx of fused sepals. The flowers bloom at night, the five pinkish or green-tinged petals opening at the tip of the calyx.
Silene menziesii is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Menzies' campion and Menzies' catchfly. It is native to western North America from Alaska through the western half of Canada to the southwestern United States. It can be found in many types of habitat and it is quite common in much of its range. It is variable in morphology and there are a number of varied subtaxa. In general, it is a perennial herb growing from a caudex, appearing matlike, decumbent, or erect, with stems a few centimeters to over half a meter long. It is usually hairy in texture, with upper parts bearing sticky glandular hairs. The leaves are lance-shaped, oppositely arranged in pairs, and a few centimeters in length, upper leaves usually smaller than lower. Flowers may occur in a cyme at the top of the stem, or in leaf axils, or both. Each is encapsulated in a hairy, veined calyx of fused sepals. The petals are white with two lobes at the tips. The plant is dioecious with male and female plants producing different flowers. The male and female flower types look the same externally; the stamens are reduced in female plants and the stigmas are reduced in the male.
Silene nuda is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names western fringed catchfly and sticky catchfly.
Silene occidentalis is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names western catchfly and western campion.
Silene oregana is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Oregon silene, Oregon campion and Oregon catchfly. It is native to the western United States, including the Great Basin, where it grows in habitat such as sagebrush and forests. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody caudex and taproot, sending up an erect, mostly unbranched stem which may be 70 centimeters tall. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 8 centimeters long around the caudex, and shorter farther up the stem. Flowers occur in a terminal cyme and sometimes in leaf axils. Each flower is encapsulated in a hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals. The five petals are creamy white or pink-tinged in color and each has four to six long, fringelike lobes at the tip.
Silene sargentii is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common name Sargent's catchfly. It is native to the western United States, where it is known from the mountain ranges straddling the California-Nevada border east of the Sierra Nevada. It is also known from one disjunct occurrence in central Washington. It grows in rocky mountain habitat in subalpine and alpine climates. It is a perennial herb growing from a woody, branching caudex and taproot, sending up several decumbent or erect stems and shoots. It grows no more than about 20 centimeters tall, often taking a clumpy form. The fleshy leaves are widely lance-shaped and a few centimeters in length, most of them occurring around the caudex. Each flower is encapsulated in a hairy, glandular calyx of fused sepals which has stark purple veining. The petals are white to deep pink and each has two or more rounded or pointed lobes at the tip.
Silene scouleri is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names simple campion and Scouler's catchfly.
Silene spaldingii is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Spalding's silene, Spalding's catchfly and Spalding's campion. It is native to eastern Washington, and eastern Oregon in the United States, as well as northern Idaho and northern Montana, where its distribution extends just into British Columbia, Canada. It is limited to the last remaining stretches of pristine prairie grassland in this region. It is threatened by the degradation and loss of its remaining habitat. It is federally listed as a threatened species in the United States and it is designated endangered by Canada's COSEWIC.
