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CARYOPHYLLACEAE

PINK FAMILY

Ronald L. Hartman (except Silene)

Annual, biennial, perennial herb, rarely dioecious, taprooted or rhizome generally slender
Leaves simple, generally opposite; stipules generally 0; petiole generally 0; blade entire, sheath generally 0
Inflorescence: cyme, generally open; flowers few–many or flower solitary and axillary; involucre generally 0
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium sometimes present; sepals generally 5, ± free or fused into a tube, tube generally herbaceous between lobes or teeth; awns generally 0; petals generally 5 or 0, generally tapered to base (or with claw long, blade expanded), entire to 2–several-lobed, blade generally without scale-like appendages (inner surface), generally without ear-like lobes at base; stamens generally 10, generally fertile, generally free, generally from ovary base; nectaries generally 0; ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, placentas basal or free-central, styles 2–5 or 1 and 2–3-branched
Fruit: capsule or utricle (rarely modified, dehiscent), generally sessile
Seeds: appendage generally 0
Genera in family: 85 genera, 2400 species: widespread, especially arctic, alpine, temp, n hemisphere; some cultivated (Agrostemma, Arenaria, Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Saponaria, Silene, Vaccaria ).

LYCHNIS

CAMPION

Biennial, perennial herb, erect, taprooted or roots fibrous
Leaf: petiole present or 0; blade oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic; vein 1, prominent
Inflorescence: cyme, terminal; flowers few; pedicels 10–55+ mm
Flower: sepals 5, fused, densely silky-hairy to tomentose, tube prominent, 12–14 mm, 7–10 mm diam, elliptic to ovoid, rounded, strongly 10-ribbed (obscured by hairs), lobes 4–7 mm, < tube, linear to ± lanceolate; petals 5, 22–30 mm, claw long, blade widely notched, appendages 2; styles (4)5, 16–18 mm
Fruit: capsule, ovoid; stalk 0–0.5 mm; teeth (4)5, ascending
Seeds many, gray to blackish purple
Species in genus: 35 species: n temp, arctic
Etymology: (Greek: lamp, from flame-colored flower of some species)

Introduced

L. coronaria (L.) Desr.

ROSE CAMPION, MULLEIN PINK

Plant densely silky-hairy to tomentose
Stem sparingly branched above
Leaves: basal many, 9–15 cm, oblanceolate; cauline fewer, 5–15 cm, generally narrowly elliptic
Inflorescence leafy; branches, pedicels spreading, often arching upward
Flower: calyx lobes twisted; petals obovate, reddish purple, appendages 2–3 mm, awl-like, thickened
Seed 1–1.3 mm, ± spheric; tubercles rounded, elongate
Chromosomes: 2n=24
Ecology: Disturbed areas, open slopes, redwood/Douglas-fir forests
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast Ranges, San Francisco Bay Area, Western Transverse Ranges
Distribution outside California: native to se Europe

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