Pink Campion

Three subspecies have been recognized within Silene repens on the basis of stature and the development of purple pigment in the calyx. Northern populations in the flora area have been referred to subsp. purpurata because of the unusually heavy pigment of the calyx, while the disjunct populations in the central Rocky Mountains have been recognized as subsp. australis. However, both of these forms occur among collections from Eurasia that have been referred to subsp. repens. When material from populations of subsp. purpurata was grown farther south, it took on the appearance of subsp. australis, suggesting that the differences are under environmental influence.

This taxon is very variable and in urgent need of taxonomic revision on a global scale.

Plants perennial; taproot slender; caudex branched, woody, producing subterranean creeping stems and clumps of flowering and vegetative shoots. Stems erect to straggling, branched or simple, leafy, 7-35 cm, retrorse-puberulent. Leaves 2 per node, sessile, blade 1-veined, linear, lanceolate, or narrowly oblong, tapered to base, apex acute, puberulent on both surfaces. Inflorescences cymose, compound, ca. (2-)5-20-flowered, usually compact, bracteate; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2-15 mm. Pedicels ascending, 0.1-1(-2) cm, shorter or longer than calyx, eglandular or with scattered glands, pubescence white, dense, short. Flowers: calyx obscurely 10-veined, tubular-campanulate, 10-15 × 3-5 mm in flower, becoming clavate and 5-6 mm broad in fruit, herbaceous, villous, veins purple tinged or entirely purple, without conspicuous pale commissures, lobes ovate, 1-2.5 mm, margins broad, scarious, apex obtuse; corolla rose pink, rarely white, clawed, claw equaling calyx, broadened distally, limb obconic, 2-lobed, 3-7 mm, appendages 0.7-1.2 mm; stamens equaling calyx; styles 3(-4), exserted. Capsules ovoid, equaling calyx, opening by 6 (or 8) spreading teeth; carpophore 4-7 mm. Seeds grayish brown, not winged, reniform, 0.8-1 mm, rugose on sides, margins shortly papillate. 2n = 24, 48.

Herbs perennial, 15--50 cm tall, shortly pubescent or glabrous throughout. Rhizome slender, branched. Stems solitary or sparsely caespitose, ascending, basally usually lignified, simple or sometimes branched. Leaves with short, sterile axillary branches, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or orbicular-lanceolate, (1.5--)2--7 cm × (1--)3--10(--12) mm, sparsely pubescent, ciliate at margin, midvein prominent, base cuneate. Flowers in a racemiform thyrse; cymules usually 3--7-flowered, usually opposite, distal cymules often capitate. Pedicel 1--8 mm; bracts lanceolate. Calyx often violet-tinged, tubular to clavate, 1--1.5 cm × 3--4.5 mm, pubescent. Androgynophore 4--6(--8) mm, shortly pubescent. Petal claws oblanceolate, without auricles; limbs not exserted beyond calyx, white, rarely yellowish white, obovate, usually 5--7 mm, bifid to middle or less. Stamens and styles slightly exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles 3. Capsule ovoid, 6--8 mm, shorter than calyx. Seeds black-brown, reniform, ca. 1 mm. Fl. Jun--Aug, fr. Jul--Sep. 2n = 24, 48.

NW Gansu, Hebei, Jilin, Nei Mongol, N Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xizang [Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia; NW North America].

Forests, grasslands, stream edges, stony mountain grasslands, dry steppes, sand dunes, grasslands, mountain summit steppes; 1500--3500 m.

Flowering summer. Arctic and mountain areas, dry grassy slopes, open woods, sagebrush, rocky outcrops, talus, gravel flats; of conservation concern; 0-3200 mm; B.C., N.W.T., Yukon; Alaska, Idaho, Mont., Wash., Wyo.; Eurasia.

Silene purpurata Greene; S. repens subsp. australis C. L. Hitchcock & Maguire; S. repens var. australis (C. L. Hitchcock & Maguire) C. L. Hitchcock; S. repens var. costata (Williams) B. Boivin; S. repens subsp. purpurata (Greene) C. L. Hitchcock & Maguire

Silene pachyrrhiza Franchet; S. repens var. angustifolia Turczaninow ex Regel f.sinensis F. N. Williams; S. repens var. latifolia Turczaninow; S. repens var. sinensis (F. N. Williams) C. L. Tang; S. repens var. vulgaris Turczaninow; S. repens var. xilingensis Y. Z. Zhao.