Silene uralensis, July 16, 2022
Same as above
Common & scientific name
Apetalous campion, Silene uralensis
Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae
Location
Mountain Boy, 12,600’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Ackerman says this alpine plant is “uncommon,” and indeed I have never seen (or noticed) it before, and standing over 6” tall in rocky scree among much shorter-statured flowers, I would have thought I would have noticed it by now! Nonetheless, here it is, thrilling to see and undoubtedly now that I’m looking for it, I will see it again (and again).
As the photos show, it has a highly inflated calyx with 10 prominent purple veins and a barely-emerging (in this case white) flower. Very akin to its low-lying brethren, Silene hitchguirei/kingii, Alpine lanterns, which I’ve found on only a handful of occasions, as well. Indeed, according to the Flora of North America website, “some collections from the southern Rocky Mountains (Colorado and Utah) appear to intergrade with S. kingii in having a narrow wing to the seeds.”