Silene verecunda
Encyclopedia
Silene verecunda is a species of flowering plant in the pink family
known by the common name San Francisco campion. It is native to western North America, particularly California
and Baja California
, as well as Nevada
and Utah
. It grows in a number of habitat types, from coastline to high alpine
mountain slopes, and including chaparral
, woodlands, and meadows. It is an extremely variable plant. In general, it is a perennial herb growing 10 centimeters to over half a meter tall, usually with several erect stems. It is hairy, and usually glandular and sticky in texture. The lance-shaped leaves are variable in size, the largest ones usually growing at the caudex
. Each flower is encapsulated in a tubular calyx of fused sepal
s which is lined with ten veins. The petals are white or pink and have two lobes in their tips and two appendages at their bases.
Caryophyllaceae
The Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae and Polygonaceae...
known by the common name San Francisco campion. It is native to western North America, particularly California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, as well as Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. It grows in a number of habitat types, from coastline to high alpine
Alpine climate
Alpine climate is the average weather for a region above the tree line. This climate is also referred to as mountain climate or highland climate....
mountain slopes, and including chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
, woodlands, and meadows. It is an extremely variable plant. In general, it is a perennial herb growing 10 centimeters to over half a meter tall, usually with several erect stems. It is hairy, and usually glandular and sticky in texture. The lance-shaped leaves are variable in size, the largest ones usually growing at the caudex
Caudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
. Each flower is encapsulated in a tubular calyx of fused sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s which is lined with ten veins. The petals are white or pink and have two lobes in their tips and two appendages at their bases.