Silene nocturna L.

Spice Flower

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Silene

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Therophytic calicole fields. Therophytic communities, path and road sides, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: An herbaceous plant with an erect stem which grow to 70 cm. tall. The leaves are spatulate-lanceolate and pilose. The flowers are pink, petals bifid, although at times lacking; and, as the plants name indicates opening at night. The calyx is cylindrical and 10 nerved, and when fructifying is tightly compressed an attenuate at the base, with the enervation scarcely evident.