Caryophyllaceae
Silene

Silene chaetodonta Boiss.

First published in Diagn. Pl. Orient. 1: 39 (1843)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. & E. Türkiye to Central Asia and W. Pakistan. It is an annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Annual, erect, 10–40(–50) cm tall, branched at middle, shortly pubescent, upper internodes with viscid sections
Morphology Leaves
Basal leaves linear-lanceolate, soon withering; cauline leaves with 5–7 pairs, 15–35(–48) × 0.5–5 mm, sometimes with axillary fascicles of narrower and shorter leaves; all leaves pubescent, upper also with some glandular hairs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a ± regular dichasium with rigid branches, few- many-flowered
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels to 50 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts linear, 8–12 mm, ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cylindrical-clavate, 11–17 mm, umbilicate, striate, anastomoses indistinct, nerves prominent at flowering time, with very short glandular hairs and in region of teeth only englandular-pubescent; teeth acuminate, 2–5.5 mm, margins membranous, ciliate to weakly villous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals pinkish; limb 4–6 mm, bilobed to about half
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens little or not exserted from calyx
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Anthophore 3–5 mm, shortly pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule oblong, 7–10.5 × 3.5 mm, included in calyx
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds semi-circular to reniform.
Ecology
Steep stony slopes, mountain slopes; alt. ± 1000 m;
Phenology
Flowering: May–Jul.
Distribution
Iraq: ?Kurdistan, Mardin. Cyprus, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan.
Note
The long calyx teeth and short petals, after flowering even shorter than calyx teeth, are good characteristics for this species. Natural hybrids are possible between S. chaetodonta and S. arenosa; they have the habit and calyx teeth of S. chaetodonta and the exserted stamens of S. arenosa.
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0