Silene armeria L.

Taprooted annual or biennial. Stems 1-several, erect, glabrous, usually with a dark sticky patch c. 1 cm long beneath upper nodes, (10)–20–50 cm tall. Lvs glabrous, glaucous; basal lvs obovate to oblanceolate to spathulate, subacute to acute, cuneate at base, 3–6 × 0.5–1.5 cm; stem lvs ovate to lanceolate, sessile and amplexicaul at base, acute, (1.5)–2–7–(10) × (0.5)–1–2–(2.5) cm. Infl. a 10–30-flowered sub-capitate dichasium; pedicels 2–5–(9) mm long; bracts ovate, scarious. Fls ☿. Calyx glabrous, narrowly cylindric, broadest above middle, not or slightly contracted at mouth, 10-veined, often pinkish, 12–15 mm long; teeth oblong, obtuse, erect. Petals pink; limb obtuse to shallowly emarginate; claw not lobed; coronal scales linear-acuminate, c. 2 mm long. Styles 3, erect, c. 5 mm long. Capsule oblong, included in calyx, 5–7 mm long; teeth 6; carpophore c. 6 mm long. Seeds red-brown, reniform, finely warty, 0.6 mm long; faces hollowed; back grooved.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Dec.–Jan.–(Apr.); Fruiting: Dec.–Feb.–(May)