SILENE AMMOPHILIA subsp. AMMOPHILIA

Family and Genus:- See- CARYOPHYLLACEAE/Sect. CONOMORPHA

Common Names:- Sand catchfly, Striated catchfly.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Silene conica subsp. conica

Meaning:- Silene (Gr) A name used by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus for

catchfly.

Ammophila (Gr) Sand-loving.

General description:- Grey-pubescent annual.

Stems:-

1) Up to 15 cm, branched at base, procumbent or ascending, viscid above.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, up to 1·5 cm, (± withered at anthesis), spatulate, rather thick.

Flowers:-

1) In lax monochasia, occasionally with a single dichasial branching at the base;

pedicels straight.

2) Calyx, 5-9 mm 15-20 veined, cylindrical at anthesis, campanulate to obconical

and not narrowed above in fruit, truncate to slightly umbilicate at the base.

3) Anthophore, short.

4) Petal-limb, truncate to slightly retuse, pink.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, 3-5 mm.

2) Seeds, c. o.8 mm, with keeled shoulders, radially striate.

Key features:-

1) Flowers, in lax monochasia, sometimes with one dichasial branching at the base

2) Calyx, 15-20 veined, 5-9 mm long.

3) Petals, pink.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Sandy and gravelly places, dry grassy meadows, deciduous scrub, field

margins. 0-1300 m.

Distribution:- Mainland Greece, Ionian Islands. Widespread in Europe and SW

Asia. Rare on Crete currently known only from the Dikti mountains.

Flowering time:- Apr-June.

Photos by:- Marinos Gogolos