2. Silene caroliniana Walter var. wherryi (Small) Fernald (wild pink, Wherry’s pink)

Silene wherryi Small

Silene caroliniana ssp. wherryi (Small) R.T. Clausen

Pl. 346 a, b; Map 1481

Plants perennial, with a branched, somewhat woody rootstock. Stems 8–20(–25) cm long, ascending, unbranched or less commonly branched, moderately to densely pubescent with soft, nongland­ular hairs. Basal leaves well developed at flowering, longer than the relatively few stem leaves, with a relatively long, broadly winged petiole. Stem leaves opposite, 2–4 pairs, short-petiolate to sessile. Leaf blades 3–9 cm long, not succulent, oblanceolate to broadly oblanceolate or spatulate, tapered at the base, angled to a bluntly or sharply pointed tip, more or less glabrous except for the margins. Flowers perfect, in open terminal clusters, sometimes solitary, the stalks 0.2–0.8(–1.5) cm long, densely pubescent with mostly nonglandular hairs, the bracts paired and resembling small leaves, with green margins. Sepals 15–22 mm long, the tube with (8–)10 parallel nonanastomosing nerves, tubular, becoming club-shaped at fruiting, the nerves green, pale between the nerves, densely pubescent with nonglandular hairs, the lobes more or less oblong, green, rounded or bluntly pointed at the tip, the margins thin and white or reddish-tinged. Petals 5, 25–35 mm long, the expanded portion 9–12 mm long, entire or with wavy margins toward the tip, pink, with a pair of small appendages on the upper surface at the base of the expanded portion. Styles 3(4). Fruits 9–12 mm long, dehiscing apically by 6(8) teeth, with a basal stalklike portion 5–8 mm long. Seeds 1.3–1.5 mm wide, kidney-shaped, the surface with minute papillae, reddish brown. 2n=48. April–May.

Uncommon in the central portion of the Ozark Division (Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, and Alabama). Mesic upland forests on rocky slopes; ledges and tops of bluffs; also roadsides; usually on acidic substrates.

Silene caroliniana var. wherryi is one of three infraspecific taxa within S. caroliniana that have been treated as either varieties or subspecies. The other two varieties both have glandular hairs on the calyces and occur to the east of Missouri. The var. pensylvanica (Michx.) Fernald differs from var. caroliniana in its basal leaves that are glabrous except along the margins and undersurface main veins (vs. moderately to densely pubescent with glandular and nonglandular hairs), and tapered to a relatively slender petiole (vs. with a winged petiole).

Steyermark (1963) reported putative hybrids between S. caroliniana var. wherryi and S. virginica from Shannon County. Although the two parental taxa usually occupy sunny and shaded habitats respectively and thus seldom grow in close proximity, both were present at Steyermark’s site as well as several plants with a mixture of parental traits. These included taller individuals with mostly pink petals shaped as in S. virginica and other plants with the short habit of S. caroliniana but with the bright red petals normally found in S. virginica. Mitchell and Uttall (1969) subsequently studied a similar instance of apparent hybridization in Virginia.

Steyermark (1963) considered S. caroliniana one of the most beautiful native wildflowers in the Ozarks and strongly recommended its use in wildflower gardens. It is now available commercially from native plant nurseries in the state.