21. Silene arenosa C. Koch in Linnaea. 15:711. 1841. Rohrb., Monogr. Der Gatt. Silene. 161.1874; Schischk. in Kom. Fl. URSS. 6:682.1936; E. Nasir Biologia 5:65.1959; Mizushima in Kitam., Fl. Afghan. 115.1960; Stew Ann. Cat. Vasc. A. W. Pak. & Kashm. 250.1972; F. G. Bhopal & M. N.Chaudh. in Pak. Syst. 1(1); 128.1977.
SHAHINA A. GHAZANFAR & YASIN J. NASIR
A delicate annual,up to 50 cm tall. Stems slender, often reddish tinged basally, simple, divaricately branched, glabrous or partially pubescent. Leaves 10-50 x 1 mm, linear, glabrous to pubescent, ciliate; sessile. Inflorescence lax, flower in spreading axillary dichasia. Bracts similar to leaves. Pedicels inform, glabrous, usually pubescent below, viscid. Calyx 11-14 mm, cylindrical-clavate, clavate constricted below the capsule in fruit, ribbed, with greenish veins, glabrous sometimes with a few hairs; teeth triangular, ciliate, nerves broad, greenish. Petals white to pale pink; limb c. 6 mm, ½ divided into linear oblong, ± inflexed lobes; claw 6-7 mm, auriculate. Coronal scales broad. Carpophore 6.5-7 mm, pubescent. Capsule 6-7 mm, ovoid, only partially exserted from the calyx.
Fl. Per.: May. Fr. Per.: May-July.
Type: Described from the Araxes River valley, Trans Caucasia (B).
Distribution: USSR, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Fairly common in sandy or stony open places from 200-3000 in.
