The
photo at right shows scapose silene as seen on the slopes above Long Hollow Pass
on OR 205. Note that the stems only bear 2-3 pairs of leaves at most. The glandular
Oregon campion which is also found in the area, typically bears more than 4 pairs
of stem leaves.
Also known as few-leaved catchfly, scapose silene is a perennial wildflower with several stems clustered atop short rootstocks. The erect stems are rigid, 30-50 cm high, and finely to densely covered with fine, short hairs and with sticky glandular haris above. The leaves are mostly basal with 1-2 (occasionally 3) pairs of stem leaves which are much reduced in size upwards along the stem. The thick blades of the basal leaves are somewhat 3-nerved, linear-oblanceolate in shape with acute tips. They measure 4-7 cm long and from 2-12 mm wide. The branches of the inflorescence are erect.
The several flowers are found in an elongate, narrow, bracteate cyme. The pedicels are equal to or longer than the calyx. The calyx is 10-12 mm long and noticeably 10-nerved. The calyx lobes are triangular and obtuse-tipped with membranous margins. The petals are white or pinkish with the tapered claw from 7-11 mm long and the petal blade from 2.5-5.5 mm long. The tip of the petal is equally 4-lobed. The auricles are saccate and the scales are short.
variety lobata: Blades of the petals more or less equally 4-lobed. The leaves are more linear-oblanceolate than those of var. scaposa. Found from Gilliam and Wheeler counties in north-central Oregon to the Blue Mts.
variety scaposa: Blades of the petals subentire to somewhat narrowly heart-shaped. Found from southeastern Oregon south to northern Nevada and east to the Lost River Mts. of central Idaho.
Scapose silene may be found on dry, stony, open sites or amongst sagebrush and juniper or pinyon pine in the foothills to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Scapose silene may be found from eastern Oregon south to northern Nevada and east to the Lost River Mts. of central Idaho.
