Silene latifolia Poir.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Caryophyllaceae

• Scientific Name

  Silene latifolia Poir.

• Description

  Species Description - Dioecious annual to more often biennial or short-lived perennial from a stout root, 4–12 dm, usually hairy, becoming glandular above; cauline lvs as many as 10 pairs, lanceolate to broadly elliptic, 3–10 × 1–4 cm, acute, 3–5-nerved, the lower petiolate; infl usually much branched; fls white, odorous, opening in the evening; cal in male fls 1.5–2 cm, 10-nerved, in female 2–3 cm, 20-nerved and becoming much inflated; pet 2–4 cm, the claw exsert, auriculate, the appendages 1–1.5 mm, erose, the blade deeply bilobed; styles mostly 5; fr 10–15 mm, dehiscent by 10 erect or spreading teeth; seeds gray, with blunt tubercles; 2n=24. Native of Europe, established as a common weed throughout much of N. Amer. May–Sept. (S. pratensis; S. alba, a preoccupied name; Lychnis a.)

• Common Names

  white campion, white cockle