Silene kialensis (F. N. Williams) Lidén & Oxelman

This species is very similar to, and possibly sometimes confused with, Silene chungtienensis, but has prominent petal claw auricles and very few or no glandular hairs.

Melandrium kialense was not treated by Bocquet (1969) in his revision of Silene sect. Physolychnis . The taxon is close to S. songarica, but differs in calyx size (10–12 mm, vs. 12–15 mm in S. songarica ), 4-fid petal limbs with subequal lobes (vs. 2-fid, or 2-fid with small, lateral teeth), poorly developed petal claw auricles, and longer androgynophore (1.5–2 mm, vs. only to 1 mm). We also find a difference in calyx pubescence: S. kialensis has spreading, stiff hairs, whereas S. gonosperma has retrorse, shorter hairs.

Herbs perennial, 30--60 cm tall. Stems few or solitary, erect, with sparse to dense, strict erect branches, pubescent, very rarely glabrous. Basal leaves (ob)lanceolate, 6--10 × 1--2 cm, base attenuate into short petiole, apex acute; cauline leaves lanceolate or narrowly oblanceolate. Inflorescence an irregular thyrsoid with long stalked, usually 3-flowered cymules; flowers slightly nutant. Pedicel usually shorter than calyx, rarely longer, densely pubescent, sometimes with a few glandular hairs. Calyx narrowly campanulate to ovoid, narrowed at base, 1--1.2 cm × 3--3.5 mm, soon becoming broader as capsule swells; veins slightly raised, pubescent. Androgynophore 1.5--2 mm, pubescent. Petals dark red, rarely white; claws usually conspicuously exserted beyond calyx (but cleistogamous forms occur), oblanceolate, 8--10 mm, hairy at base; auricles prominent, orbicular; limb 3--4 mm, deeply bifid to middle, sometimes with short lateral lobes. Stamens included or slightly exserted. Styles 5, included. Capsule ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm. Seeds gray, globose-reniform, ca. 1.2 mm, minutely tuberculate.

Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, SE Xizang.

* Forest margins, grasslands; 1800--4000 m.

Melandrium kialense F. N. Williams, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 34: 432. 1899; Lychnis kialensis (F. N. Williams) H. Léveillé; Silene nepalensis Majumdar var. kialensis (F. N. Williams) C. L. Tang ex C. Y. Wu.