TYT.LThome / Plantae · augalai / Caryophyllaceae · gvazdikiniai / Silene flos-cuculi · šilkažiedė gaisrena

ajaxloader

Silene flos-cuculi · šilkažiedė gaisrena

It is a perennial herbaceous plant native to Eurasia and has been introduced to North America. It is found along roads and in wet meadows and pastures. Silene flos-cuculi forms a rosette of low growing foliage with numerous stems 20 to 90 cm tall. The stems rise above the foliage and branch near the top of the stem. The leaves are paired, with the lower leaves spoon-shaped and stalked. The middle and upper leaves are linear-lanceolate with pointed apexes. All of the leaves are untoothed. The stems have barbed hairs pointing downward and these hairs make the plant rough to the touch.

Blooming from May to August, the pink flowers are 3–4 cm wide. They have five narrow petals deeply divided into four lobes giving the flower an untidy, ragged appearance, hence its common name. The calyx tube is five-toothed with ten stamens. The fruits consist of small (6–10 mm) capsules opening on top by five teeth and containing many small seeds; they are found on the plants from August onwards.