17. Silene L. (campion, catchfly)

(Oxelman et al. 2001; Morton 2005c)

Plants annual, biennial, or perennial, sometimes dioecious (in Missouri, only S. dioica and S. latifolia). Stems erect to spreading, sometimes reclining, branched or unbranched, glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent with nonglandular hairs and/or stalked glands, sometimes glaucous. Leaves opposite or whorled (in S. stellata), fused basally into a sheath or sometimes clasping the stem, petiolate (basal leaves) or sessile (most stem leaves), usually lacking axillary clusters of leaves (these occasionally present at few to several nodes in some species). Stipules absent. Leaf blades linear to lanceolate, elliptic, obovate, or spatulate, not succulent (except in S. csereii), tapered to rounded or cordate at the base, angled or tapered to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, occasionally tapered abruptly to a minute, sharp point. Flowers in terminal, open panicles or clusters, occasionally solitary and terminal, the stalks erect or ascending at flowering and fruiting or sometimes nearly absent, the bracts paired and resembling small leaves, with herbaceous and green or less commonly thin and white margins. Epicalyx absent. Flowers perfect or all staminate or pistillate (in S. dioica and S. latifolia). Sepals 5, fused most of their length into a tube, this (8–)10–30-nerved, these green or sometimes whitish, reddish, or greenish purple, sometimes inflated and/or papery, variously herbaceous and green or membranous to papery and translucent or white to purplish-tinged between the nerves, the lobes linear to lanceolate, oblong, or broadly triangular, much shorter than the tube, angled or tapered to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, not appearing hooded or awned, the margins white or purplish-tinged. Petals 5 or rarely absent, when present oblanceolate to narrowly obovate or spatulate, tapered to a stalklike base, rounded to more or less truncate at the tip, sometimes notched or 2(4–12)-lobed, otherwise irregularly toothed or rarely entire, white, creamy white, pink, purplish pink, or red, sometimes with a pair of small appendages on the upper surface at the base of the expanded portion. Stamens 10 (absent in pistillate flowers), the filaments distinct or fused into a short tube basally. Staminodes absent (rarely 1–10 and linear to hairlike in pistillate flowers). Pistil with 1 locule or appearing 3–5-locular toward the base, the ovary sessile or appearing stalked (small and nonfunctional in staminate flowers). Styles 3(4) or 5 (absent in staminate flowers), when present distinct, each with a stigmatic area along the inner side. Fruits capsules, opening by 3(4) or 5 valves (sometimes each split at the tip) or by 6(8) or 10 spreading or outward-curled teeth. Seeds 15–100(–500 or more), kidney-shaped to nearly globose, the surface usually tuberculate or with small papillae, reddish brown to gray, dark brown, or black, lacking wings or appendages. About 650 (or more) species, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, introduced nearly worldwide.

The present circumscription of Silene follows that of Oxelman et al. (2001), who defined the tribe Sileneae as comprising eight genera. Four of these are represented in Missouri: Agrostemma, Atocion, Lychnis, and Silene. Most of the nonnative species encountered in Missouri originally were brought into the United States as garden ornamentals or as contaminants in other seeds. A number of species are still cultivated in gardens today.