Flower ID: IMG_0864.JPG-06-25-2017 Flower name (scientific): Silene latifolia Poiret PY: 1789. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) sy-LEE-nee lat-ih-FOE-lee-ah Flower name (common): White Campion Family name (common): Pink (Carnation) Family name (scientific): Caryophyllaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: Theophrastus' name for a particular catchfly plant. Alternatively, derived from Silenus (Silenos) of Greek mythology, companion to Bacchus. Might also have its name origin from the Greek sialon, for saliva, in reference to the exudation from the plant stems. Specific epithet: From the Latin lati, for broad or wide, and folia for leaf, hence wide leaves. Common name origin: From the color. In ancient Greece the flower was possibly used as a garland, and conjectured to be for a champion, in old English written as campion, though the OED finds no reference to the use of "campions flower" to support the conjecture. Flower description: Size: 1.0 to 1.4 inches (2.5 to 3.6 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: White Other: flower arrangement, Raceme Plant description: Erect Size: 12 to 40 inches (30 to 102 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 12 cm long and up to 3.5 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, oblong-lanceolate to elliptic (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): June to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Biennial/perennial Habitat: Fields, woodland edges, disturbed areas, roadsides, waste sites, sun or shade. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Silene noctiflora (Night-flowering Catchfly) has a resemblance to Silene latifolia. The flowers of the latter species are either male (staminate) or female (pistillate), and the female flowers usually have 5 styles, whereas the flowers of the former species are perfect (having both male and female organs), with 3 styles just slightly visible. When available, the fruit capsule can help distinguish the species: S. noctiflora has 6 teeth on the capsule and S. latifolia has ten teeth on the capsule. Ethnobotany: The Ojibwe used the root to prepare a tea, which was employed as a physic (Smith, p. 361, 1932). In the preceding reference Smith uses the old synonym name Lychnis alba, which according to the IPNI is an old synonym for Silene latifolia subsp. alba. However, this subspecies is not found in North America. The subspecies in North America is Silene latifolia subsp. latifolia, which was introduced to North America and has a native range in several Mediterranean countries. Latitude: 44.794522 Longitude: -91.494897 Altitude: 240.00 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym:Silene latifolia subsp. latifolia (The other infraspecifics are Silene latifolia subsp. alba (Miller) Greuter & Burdet, Silene latifolia subsp. eriocalycina (Boissier) Greuter & Burdet, Silene latifolia subsp. mariziana (Gandoger) Greuter & Burdet, Silene latifolia subsp. persica (Boissier & Buhse) Melzheimer. Only the first of these four subspecies has been recorded in the US.)