Silene nivea

SIMILAR SPECIES: This species has distinctive characters that set it apart from the similar Silene noctiflora and Lychnis alba. S. nivea has mostly glabrous to puberulent stems, long, narrowly-lanceolate leaves, a few-flowered, leafy inflorescence with the leaves appearing axillary, a tubular-campanulate calyx, and slightly notched petals. L. alba has coarsely pubescent stems, glandular above, lanceolate to broadly elliptic leaves, a much-branched inflorescence with foliar primary bracts, a tubular calyx, and deeply-bilobed petals.

S. noctiflora has coarsely hirsute stems, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate leaves, a loosely-branched inflorescence, an ovoid-campanulate calyx, and deeply-bilobed petals.

TOTAL RANGE: PA, MD, and VA, w. to TN, MN, SD, NE, and MO.

STATE RANGE: There are post-1960 specimens from Butler County, and a dubious collection from Wood County. There are pre-1960 records from 3 other counties of southwest Ohio: Clermont, Greene, and Hamilton.

STATE STATUS: 1980-1981: Presumed Extirpated, 1982 to present: Threatened.

HABITAT: Rich woods and alluvium, disturbed floodplains and streambanks.

HAZARDS: Drying of habitat; soil compaction; casual picking of conspicuous flowers.

RECOVERY POTENTIAL: Unknown, but possibly good, as evidenced by its occurrence in disturbed situations.

INVENTORY GUIDELINES: Collect mature flowering or fruiting material with a small portion of the rhizome; avoid over-collecting.

COMMENTS: This species should be sought throughout southwest Ohio. It may be overlooked because it resembles other white-flowered campions (see Similar Species).

SELECTED REFERENCES:

Hitchcock, C.L. and B. Maguire. 1947. A revision of the North American species of Silene. Univ. Wash. Pub. Bio. 13: 1-73.

Kruckeberg, A.R. 1964. Artificial crosses involving eastern North American Silenes. Brittonia 16: 95-105.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Division of Natural Areas and Preserves

Created: 6/1981 David P. Emmitt

Database Code: SPJN.812