Behen vulgaris Moench, Meth. Pl. 709. 1794; Cucubalus behen Linnaeus (1753), not Silene behen Linnaeus (1753); C. latifolius Miller; C. venosus Gilibert; S. cucubalus Wibel; S. inflata Smith; S. inflata var. vulgaris Turczaninow; S. venosa (Gilibert) Ascherson; ?S. wallichiana Klotzsch.

Herbs perennial, grayish green, 40--100 cm tall, glabrous throughout. Roots slightly robust, lignified. Stems sparsely caespitose, erect, usually gray, apically branched. Leaves lanceolate to ovate, 4--10 × 1--3(--4.5) cm, proximal cauline leaves with prominent midvein, base attenuate, apex acuminate or acute; distal leaves cuneate, slightly clasping. Flowers usually in many-flowered dichasia, sometimes in thyrsoid inflorescences; flowers sometimes spreading or slightly nutant. Pedicel shorter than or subequaling calyx; bracts ovate-lanceolate, herbaceous. Calyx usually violet-tinged, broadly ovoid, inflated, 1.3--1.6 cm × 5--7 mm, submembranous, with 20 anastomosing veins; calyx teeth broadly triangular, short, ciliate. Androgynophore ca. 2 mm, glabrous. Petals 1.5--1.8 cm; claws cuneate-oblanceolate, glabrous, auricles ovoid; limbs exserted beyond calyx, white, obovate, deeply bifid to base of limb, lobes narrowly obovate; coronal scales small. Stamens and styles prominently exserted; filaments glabrous; anthers violet. Styles 3. Capsule subglobose, ca. 8 mm in diam., shorter than calyx. Seeds globose-reniform, ca. 1.5 mm. Fl. Jun--Aug, fr. Aug--Sep. 2n = 24, 48.

Meadows, scrub; 200--2700 m. Heilongjiang, Nei Mongol, Xinjiang, Xizang [India, Mongolia, Nepal; N Africa, SW Asia, Europe].