Silene conica L.

Taprooted annual. Stems 1-several, erect or ascending, densely hairy with very short glandular and eglandular hairs, (5)–15–50 cm tall. Lvs with dense short hairs, linear or linear-lanceolate, acute, sessile, (10)–25–70–(100) × 1–7 mm; upper lvs connate, 10–50–(75) × 1–5 mm. Infl. a 1–7-flowered asymmetric dichasium; pedicels 3–30 mm long; bracts ovate-acuminate, green, with short glandular and eglandular hairs. Fls ☿. Calyx with dense short glandular and eglandular hairs, cylindric at flowering, ovoid at fruiting, broadest near truncate base, contracted at mouth, 10–15 mm long; veins 30, raised; teeth subulate, erecto-patent. Petals pink; limb very short, 2-fid; claw broad, lobed at base of limb; coronal scales oblong, obtuse, c. 0.5 mm long. Styles 3, erect, c. 10 mm long. Capsule ovoid, included in calyx, 7–10 mm long; teeth 6; carpophore 0 or very short. Seeds pale dull brown, reniform-flattened, bluntly warty, c. 0.9 mm long.

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

Flowering: Nov.–Dec.; Fruiting: Nov.–Jan.