Species: Silene spaldingii

Spalding's Campion

Species

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Spalding's Campion is a perennial with a simple or branched rootcrown. There are 4-7 pairs of sessile, broadly lance-shaped leaves that are 6-7 cm long below and gradually reduced in size upward. Herbage is long-hairy and very sticky. There are few to many flowers in a leafy, somewhat open inflorescence. The tubular calyx is ca. 15 mm long, has 10 nerves on its surface, and is very sticky. The corolla has 5 separate, white petals, each composed of a narrow claw that is ca. 15 mm long expanding into a broadened blade above. Only the entire or shallowly-lobed blade with 4 tiny wings at the base protrudes beyond the mouth of the calyx. The fruit is a capsule that is 10-15 mm long and filled with numerous tiny seeds.

Source: Encyclopedia of Life

Classification

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Anthophyta

Class

Dicotyledoneae

Order

Caryophyllales

Family

Caryophyllaceae

Genus

Silene

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132941

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Spalding's Catchfly - Spalding's silene

Informal Taxonomy

Plants, Vascular - Flowering Plants - Pink Family

Formal Taxonomy

Plantae - Anthophyta - Dicotyledoneae - Caryophyllales - Caryophyllaceae - Silene - Distinct species.

Ecology and Life History

Source: Encyclopedia of Life

Short General Description

A perennial herb with stout stems, 2-8 dm tall. White flowers, forming a tight, leafy flower head, bloom from late June to August.

Reproduction Comments

Silene spaldingii is a partially self-compatible, hermaphroditic perennial. Reproduction is apparently via seed only, as rhizomes or other means of vegetative propagation are lacking. Seeds appear to require cold stratification, so germination occurs mainly in the spring. Rosettes are formed the first year and flowering may occur during or after the second season. Flowers are protandrous (Lesica and Heidel 1996). Anthers mature and dehise pollen first. During this time, the styles are unexpanded, and the unexposed stigmatic surfaces are held well below the level of the anthers. After the anthers shrivel and fall from the filaments, the three styles expand and the stigmas become receptive. Each flower persists for two to several days, and two or more flowers may be in bloom on the same plant, so geitonogamous pollination is possible. This system promotes outcrossing while allowing the possibility of self-pollination (Lesica 1991; 1993). The bumblebee, Bombus fervidus, appears to be the only significant pollination vector for S. spaldingii throughout its range (Lesica and Heidel 1996). At least at some populations, S. spaldingii appears to be subject to pollinator limitations, inbreeding depression, and a large genetic load (Lesica 1991; 1993).

Ecology Comments

Silene spaldingii most frequently occurs in relatively intact climax or successionally advanced mesic grassland communities (Lorain 1991). It does not occur at sites where the native vegetation has been displaced by aggressive weeds. It is apparently tolerant of light to moderate grazing (Schassberger 1988). In areas where grazing occurs, it does not appear to be preferred by cattle, but these populations also are much smaller than those in mature grassland habitats. Lesica (1994) found that prescribed burning at a site in Montana increased growth, recruitment and flowering of Silene spaldingii.

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

2003-03-18

Global Status Last Changed

1990-04-02

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

Regional endemic restricted to remnants of the Poulouse Prairie grasslands of eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon, northern Idaho, and western Montana (barely extending into British Columbia, Canada).

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.132941