Silene suecica (also known as Viscaria alpina) is a species of plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Its common name is red Alpine catchfly and its natural habitat is the mountains of Norway and Sweden but it is sometimes found near the coasts and it is also found in the Alps and the Pyrenees, Greenland and North America.
Alpine catchfly is a perennial plant growing to a height of 10 to 40 cm (4 to 16 in). The stems are unbranched and erect with a glossy surface often tinged with red. The leaves are in opposite pairs, the lower ones being stalked and forming a rosette while the upper ones are unstalked. The leaves are narrow and lanceolate with entire margins. The inflorescence is a small umbel and the flowers are fragrant. The calyx is five-lobed and tubular and a greenish-purple colour. The corolla is regular, from 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) in diameter with five pink, deeply notched petals. There are several stamens, some of which may be vestigial, and five styles. The fruit is a five-chambered capsule. This plant flowers between June and August.[2]
Distribution and habitatedit
Alpine catchfly is found in northern Europe including Norway, Sweden, Finland and Lapland and in the Alps, northern Apennines and the Pyrenees where it grows on rocks including extra-alkaline serpentine rocks, gravel banks beside rivers, sand banks, sea cliffs and nutrient-poor, stony areas.[2] In Greenland and North America it is found on tundra, barren rocky areas, gulleys and riverside shingle, grassy slopes and sea cliffs. In general it thrives where other plants that are less tolerant of high concentrations of copper and heavy metals in the soil do not.[3]
Usesedit
Because of its ability to grow in soils with heavy amounts of copper, Silene suecica is used as a copper content indicator in geobotanical prospecting.[3]
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Viscaria alpina.
^ abNagy, Laszlo (2013). "Biological Flora of the British Isles: Silene suecica". Journal of Ecology. 101 (2): 532–544. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.12058.
January 01, 1970
silene, suecica, also, known, viscaria, alpina, species, plant, family, caryophyllaceae, common, name, alpine, catchfly, natural, habitat, mountains, norway, sweden, sometimes, found, near, coasts, also, found, alps, pyrenees, greenland, north, america, scient. Silene suecica also known as Viscaria alpina is a species of plant in the family Caryophyllaceae Its common name is red Alpine catchfly and its natural habitat is the mountains of Norway and Sweden but it is sometimes found near the coasts and it is also found in the Alps and the Pyrenees Greenland and North America Silene suecica Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Order Caryophyllales Family Caryophyllaceae Genus Silene Species S suecica Binomial name Silene suecica Lodd Greuter amp Burdet Synonyms 1 Lychnis alpina L Lychnis suecica Greuter amp BurdetViscaria alpina G Don Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Uses 4 ReferencesDescription editAlpine catchfly is a perennial plant growing to a height of 10 to 40 cm 4 to 16 in The stems are unbranched and erect with a glossy surface often tinged with red The leaves are in opposite pairs the lower ones being stalked and forming a rosette while the upper ones are unstalked The leaves are narrow and lanceolate with entire margins The inflorescence is a small umbel and the flowers are fragrant The calyx is five lobed and tubular and a greenish purple colour The corolla is regular from 1 to 2 cm 0 4 to 0 8 in in diameter with five pink deeply notched petals There are several stamens some of which may be vestigial and five styles The fruit is a five chambered capsule This plant flowers between June and August 2 Distribution and habitat editAlpine catchfly is found in northern Europe including Norway Sweden Finland and Lapland and in the Alps northern Apennines and the Pyrenees where it grows on rocks including extra alkaline serpentine rocks gravel banks beside rivers sand banks sea cliffs and nutrient poor stony areas 2 In Greenland and North America it is found on tundra barren rocky areas gulleys and riverside shingle grassy slopes and sea cliffs In general it thrives where other plants that are less tolerant of high concentrations of copper and heavy metals in the soil do not 3 Uses editBecause of its ability to grow in soils with heavy amounts of copper Silene suecica is used as a copper content indicator in geobotanical prospecting 3 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Viscaria alpina Silene suecica Lodd Greuter amp Burdet ITIS a b Alpine Catchfly NatureGate Retrieved 2013 12 24 a b Nagy Laszlo 2013 Biological Flora of the British Isles Silene suecica Journal of Ecology 101 2 532 544 doi 10 1111 1365 2745 12058 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Silene suecica amp oldid 1190810120, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
