Paul Sterry - British Wild Flowers - A photographic guide to every common species

Nottingham Catchfly

Nottingham Catchfly Silene nutans HEIGHTto 50cm

Slightly downy and sticky perennial of calcareous grassland and shingle beaches. FLOWERSNodding, 17mm across; pinkish-white petals are inrolled in the daytime but roll back at dusk (May–July). FRUITSCapsules. LEAVESOval; lower ones stalked but stem leaves unstalked. STATUSLocal and scattered.

See also Spanish Catchflyand Shetland Red Campion

Bush, Robin

Night-flowering Catchfly

Night-flowering Catchfly Silene noctiflora HEIGHTto 60cm

Stickily hairy annual of arable fields, mainly on chalk or sandy soils. FLOWERSSimilar to White Campion but with petals pinkish above, yellowish below; inrolled by day, opening at night , when they are scented (May–July). FRUITSCapsules with 6 reflexed teeth. LEAVESOvate. STATUSLocal and declining.

Small-flowered Catchfly

Small-flowered Catchfly Silene gallica HEIGHTto 40cm

Stickily hairy annual of arable land and disturbed, mainly sandy soils. FLOWERSPinkish or white, and sometimes flushed red at the base (var. quinquevulnera , see photo left), 10–12mm across; in 1-sided spikes (June–Oct). FRUITSInflated capsules. LEAVESHairy, upper ones narrower than basal ones. STATUSWidespread but local and generally scarce. Restricted to unimproved arable fields.

Sand Catchfly

Sand Catchfly Silene conica HEIGHTto 35cm

Upright, stickily hairy, greyish-green annual. Found on sandy soils, mainly coastal. FLOWERS4–5mm across, with 5 notched and pinkish petals; in clusters (May–July). FRUITSForming within inflated, flagon-shaped capsules . LEAVESNarrow, downy. STATUSLocal and scarce, restricted mainly to coastal SE England.

Cleave, Andrew

Soapwort

Soapwort Saponaria officinalis HEIGHTto 1m

Straggling, hairless perennial with brittle stems. Found on roadside verges and waste ground, and in damp woodland. FLOWERSPink, 25–35mm across (June–Aug). FRUITSCapsules. LEAVESNarrowly oval, distinctly veined. STATUSPossibly native in a few sites but mainly a naturalised garden escape.

Ragged-robin

Ragged-robin Lychnis flos-cuculi HEIGHTto 65cm

Delicate-looking perennial of damp meadows, fens and marshes. FLOWERSPink, with 5 petals, each divided into 4 ‘ragged’ lobes (May–Aug). FRUITSCapsules. LEAVESNarrow, grass-like, rough; upper ones in opposite pairs. STATUSWidespread and common, but decreasing through agricultural changes (e.g. land drainage).

Maiden Pink

Maiden Pink Dianthus deltoides HEIGHTto 20cm

Hairy perennial that sometimes forms clumps. Associated with dry, sandy soils. FLOWERS18–20mm across, with 5 pink petals that show white basal spots and have toothed margins (June–Sep). FRUITSCapsules. LEAVESNarrow, rough-edged, grey-green. STATUSWidespread but extremely local.

Deptford Pink

Deptford Pink Dianthus armeria HEIGHTto 60cm

Dark green, slightly hairy annual. Found in dry, grassy places, mainly on chalk or sandy soils. FLOWERS9–13mm across, with reddish-pink petals that have toothed margins and pale spots; in clusters (June–Aug). Note the long bracts. FRUITSCapsules. LEAVESNarrow. STATUSScarce and local.

Corncockle

Corncockle Agrostemma githago HEIGHTto 70cm