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Photographer: Robert Bierman
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Family Caryophyllaceae
Silene noctiflora L.
night-flowering catchfly, sticky cockle
Silene: probably from Greek sialon, "saliva," referring to gummy exudation on stems, and/or named for Silenus, intoxicated foster-father of Bacchus (god of wine) who was covered with foam, much like the glandular secretions of many species of this genus.
noctiflora: nocturnus for "night;" flora for "flower"
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| Status: | Introduced - naturalized |
| Plant: | erect, annual, 8"-32" tall forb with dense, coarse hairs below and sticky hairs above |
| Flower: | white, 5-parted, 3/4"-1" wide, fragrant, opening at night; tubular, hairy sepals with purple netted veins inflating in time; petals deeply 2-lobed, somewhat pinkish above and yellow below; 3 styles; inflorescence a loose, branched cluster (cyme) of 3-15 flowers; blooms all summer |
| Leaf: | up to 10 pairs along the stem; lower stalked, upper stalkless |
| (Glossary) |
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