斋桑蝇子草 zhai sang ying zi cao

Silene altaica Persoon var. grandiflora C. A. Meyer; S. altaica var. hystrix Trautvetter.

Herbs suffruticose, 25--45 cm tall. Stems caespitose, erect, basally lignified, simple or branched, basally sometimes hirtellous, apically viscid. Leaves with short, sterile axillary branches, linear, spiniform, 3--8 cm × 2--3 mm, pungent, basal margin ciliate, midvein prominent. Flowers erect, in a racemiform thyrse, with usually alternate, 1-flowered cymules. Pedicel shorter to slightly longer than calyx, glabrous, usually viscid; bracts ovate, margin membranous, ciliate. Calyx tubular, clavate in fruit, 2--2.5 cm × 2.5--3 mm, shortly pubescent, longitudinal veins green or violet; calyx teeth ca. 1 mm. Androgynophore 8--10 mm, glabrous. Petals white, claws oblanceolate, glabrous, limbs bifid to 3/4 length of petals, lobes obovate; coronal scales minute. Stamens and styles exserted; filaments glabrous. Styles 3. Capsule 1--1.5 cm. Seeds dark brown, triangular-ovoid. Fl. Jun--Jul, fr. Aug.

N Xinjiang [Kazakhstan].

The type of Silene alexandrae has not been seen by the present authors.