Silene littorea

Appearance

Silene littorea is a small sized plant with tight small of leaves and pink flowers, pubescent and viscous. The stems are outlined and also have glandular hairs and are, like leaves, somewhat beefy. Goblet of almost 2 cm, and carry alternating bands of hyaline and brown, noting its patent hairiness well. Corolla with petals emarginate and well arranged around the central white ringlet.

Naming

The genus name is certainly linked to the character of Silenus (Greek Σειληνός, Latin Silenus), adoptive father and preceptor of Dionysus, always represented with swollen belly like chalices of many species, for example Silene Silene vulgaris or conical. But it has also been evoked (Theophrastus via Lobelius and then Linnaeus) a possible origin from σίαλoν Greek ου, "saliva, mucus, baba," referring to the viscosity of certain species or σίαλος, oν, "fat" that would be the same as the first interpretation, that is, inflation.

Synonyms:
Silene charidemi Gand.
Silene christi Sennen
Silene halophila Willd. ex Spreng.
Silene sericea var. littorea' (Brot.) Nyman
Silene sericea var. minor Otth in DC.
Silene adscendens Lag.

In Castilian Spanish is known as "Carmelitilla", "carmentilla", "Child Jesus little shoes".

Distribution

Mediterranean and South Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, Balearic Islands, southern Portugal and North Africa.

Habitat

It inhabits marine sands and nearby wadis.

Reproduction

Number of chromosomes of Silene littorea (Fam. Caryophyllaceae) and infraspecific taxa: n=12↑2

History and timeline

Flowering from early January to late June in the portuguese cost.