9. Silene indica Roxb. ex Otth in DC., Prodr. 1:368. 1824. Bocquet in Candollea, l.c. 12; id., l.c. 65.
SHAHINA A. GHAZANFAR & YASIN J. NASIR
Perennial, up to 55 cm tall. Stems usually simple, erect, greyish-green, minutely pubescent to scabrulous, eglandular. Leaves 22-70 x 5-30 mm, variable in size and shape; uppermost ones smaller; middle cauline and basal leaves linear-lanceolate to oblanceolate or ovate lanceolate, petioled, ± membranous, minutely pubescent. Flowers in lax dichotomously branched cymes, white inside, pale purplish to reddish-brown on the outside, usually nodding when young. Pedicels pubescent. Calyx 12-20 mm long. inflated, ± membranous, oblong to globose, minutely pubsecent to glandulose, nervose; nerves many, green to greenish-brown; lobes acute or ± obtuse, margin minutely ciliate. Petal limb bilobed, each lobe further divided or the limb fimbriate; coronal scales 2, usually with a lobed apex; claw auricled, base villous. Carpohore short and woolly. Capsule equalling or barely exceeding calyx. Seeds c.1.1 mm long, reniform, pusticulate (especially on back), black.
A polymorphic species in which 3 varieties can be distinguished.
