40 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Very rare. Truly wild in the Channel Isles, but probably an escape from cultivation in the various 
places in England where it has occurred. June — August. Annual. 
MOSS Campion. (Silene acaulis, Linn.) — Flowers about ^ inch across, deep pink or 
white, solitary, on short stalks or nearly stalkless; the calyx-tube with io veins; the petals notched, 
and with 2 teeth at the top of the claw ; 3 styles ; and the capsule much longer than the'sepals, 
opening by 6 teeth. [As just described in the genus Catchfly, Campion (Silene).] The stems 2-3 
inches high, and the leaves very narrow and small, forming dense, moss-like tufts and cushions. 
\Plate 23. 
Rare. Alpine rocks on mountains in Wales and the north of England ; abundant in Scotland. 
July — August. Perennial. 
Spanish Catchfly. (Silene Otites, Wibel.) — Flowers very small, £ inch across, numerous, 
pale yellowish-green, in loose opposite clusters up the main stalk, forming a long, narrow, erect 
cluster (a panicle) ; having the calyx-tube bell-shaped and 10-veined ; the petals narrow, not 
notched, and without teeth ; 3 styles ; the stamens and carpels usually on different plants 
(dioecious) ; and the capsule oval, a little longer than the sepals, opening by 6 teeth. [As 
just described in the genus Catchfly, Campion (Silene).] Stems about 1 foot high, erect, un- 
branched and sticky, swollen at the joints (nodes) ; the leaves narrow and pointed, stalkless, very 
few on the stem, but forming dense tufts at the base. 
Very rare. Dry sandy fields and waysides in the eastern counties. June — August. Perennial. 
Nottingham Catchfly. (Silene nutans, Linn.) — Flowers | inch across, numerous, 
drooping, sweet-scented, white or tinged with pink, 3 or 5 in loose opposite clusters up the main 
flowering-stalk, forming a rather long, narrow cluster (panicle) ; the calyx-tube downy and 
10-ribbed; the petals narrow, deeply notched, and with 2 triangular teeth at the top of the claw ; 
3 styles ; and the capsule oval, about as long as the sepals, opening by 6 teeth. [As just 
described in the genus Catchfly, Campion (Silene).] The stems 1-2 feet high, erect, downy, and 
sticky, swollen at the joints (nodes) ; and the leaves opposite, the lower ones oblong, pointed and 
stalked, the upper few, narrow, and stalkless. 
Rare. Dry hills, rocks, castle walls, etc., in the Isle of tyight, the cliffs in south Kent, etc. 
May — July. Perennial. 
^Italian Catchfly. (Silene italica, Pers.)— Not a native. Very similar to the last 
species, the flowers f inch across, few, white tinged with pale yellow, in a very loose cluster 
(panicle), with a hairy, sticky calyx-tube ; petals deeply notched and without teeth ; 3 styles ; 
and with a long stalk to the capsule, which is about as long as the sepals ; the stems 9 inches to 
2 feet high, softly hairy and sticky ; and the leaves opposite, the lower oblong and pointed, the 
upper narrow and stalkless. 
Very rare. Waysides and chalky ground in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. July — August. 
Perennial. 
Night-flowering Catchfly. (Silene noetiflora, Linn.)— Flowers large, f inch across, 
white, tinged with pink,, only opening at night when they are fragrant, 2 or 3 in a loose terminal 
cluster (panicle) ; the calyx-tube hairy and sticky, with 10 ribs; the petals deeply notched; the 
styles 3 in number ; and the capsule oval, opening by 6 spreading teeth. [As just described in 
the genus Catchfly (Silene).] The stems 1-2 feet high, stout, branched, hairy and sticky, swollen 
at the joints (nodes) ; and the leaves of the lower stem egg-shaped and shortly stalked, those 
of the upper stem narrow, pointed and stalkless. 
Rare. Fields on sandy or gravelly soil in the east of England, Ireland and the south of Scotland. 
July — August. Annual. 
