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Silene
acaulis
(Moss Campion) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Alpine. Tundra. Summer. Moss Campion grows on alpine tundra in spreading tufts of moss-like green. Barely above the tight cushion of tiny leaves, an array of five-petaled pink/lavender flowers arises and, with normal precipitation, often completely covers the green cushion. Silene acaulis is commonly found near white Alpine Phlox and various white Chickweeds, all very tiny plants with masses of very tiny flowers, very tiny leaves, and very pleasant fragrances. The Silene genus was named by Linnaeus in 1753, and the name is, according to the Flora of North America, "probably derived from "Silenus", the intoxicated foster father of the Greek god Bacchus, [god of wine] who was described as covered with foam; perhaps alluding to the viscid secretion covering many species [in the Silene genus]". Linnaeus named this species Cucubalus acaulis. In 1762 Joseph von Jacquin (1727-1817) renamed it Silene acaulis. "A caulis", Latin and Greek for "without stem", is common botanical nomenclature and a fairly common specific epithet. |
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Silene acaulis
(Moss Campion) Alpine. Tundra. Summer. leaves are short and very narrow and flower petals are notched, "pinked", on their tips -- thus the common family name, Pink Family. |
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Silene acaulis
(Moss Campion) Alpine. Tundra. Summer. Silene acaulis is a lovely, common, and wide spread plant found throughout mountainous western Canada, the United States, and much of Europe. |
