Silene latifolia and similar species: how to distinguish
Hello, everyone!
Within this project, the most observed species is Silene latifolia (now it is more than 18 000 observations!). It is widely distributed - Eurasia, North Africa, North America; it was even found in Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. But this plant quite often is confused with Silene vulgaris, Silene noctiflora, or even Saponaria officinalis. Here are the easiest features to separate them.
The first thing to look at is the number of styles (parts of the pistil). Silene latifolia (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63225452) has 5 styles; S. vulgaris and S. noctiflora - 3 ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62903348 ); Saponaria officinalis -2 (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61984254).
The second feature is the number of teeth, by which the fruit (capsule) is opened. Silene latifolia has 10 teeth (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62631469), S. vulgaris, and S. noctiflora - 6 (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/61478292), Saponaria officinalis - 4 (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/59782253).
The last trait for easy identifying these species are calyces. Silene latifolia has prominently 10-veined (in staminate flowers) or 20-veined (in pistillate), tubular (becoming ovate in pistillate flowers) calyces with long hairs ("male" flowers - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62610994, "female" - https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62614234). Silene noctiflora has 10-veined, ovate-elliptic, narrowed to both ends calyx with anastomosing veins in the upper part and long, narrow, often recurved in fruit lobes, covered with glandular hairs (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/63025091). Silene vulgaris has inflated glabrous calyx with reticulate venation (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62615878). Saponaria officinalis has long tubular glabrous (rarely with scattered trichomes) calyces (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/62322139),
A little addition. As you may have noticed, Silene latifolia has "male" flowers with stamens only, and "female" flowers with pistil (which has 5 styles ) and without stamens.
I hope, this info will resolve confusion and help you to identify these species.
Enjoy yourself and nature!
