– PINK FAMILY

Plant: herbs locally, rarely shrubs Stem: joints or nodes commonly swollen : Leaves: simple, entire, mostly opposite or rarely alternate; mostly no stipules Flowers: mostly perfect, regular (actinomorphic); (4) 5 (separate or united); mostly (4) 5 petals which are often split, notched or fringed or absent; petal base often restricted in size; 5 or 10 stamens, rarely 1-4; superior, 1 pistil, carpels 2-5 (mostly fused) Fruit: usually a capsule, many seeds Other: very large family in North America, mostly in temperate areas; many ornamentals, Dicotyledons Group Genera: ~ 90 or more genera, 3,000+ species (number of genera contested)

WARNING – family descriptions are only a layman’s guide and should not be used as definitive Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) – corolla of usually 5 petals (often notched, fringed, or split; and many taper at base); calyx of usually 5 sepals (sometimes fused and lobed); leaves simple, entire, usually opposite; fruit a capsule with many seeds

Examples of common genera

Thymeleaf Sandwort Bouncing Bet [Soapwort] Arenaria serpyllifolia L. (Introduced) Saponaria officinalis L. Big [Common Mouse-Ear] Chickweed (Introduced) Cerastium fontanum Baumg. ssp. vulgare (Hartm.) Greuter & Burdet (Introduced) [Roadside, Red] Sand Spurry Spergularia rubra (L.) J.& K. Presl (Introduced

Deptford Pink Dianthus armeria L. (Introduced) Jagged Chickweed L. (Introduced) Longleaf Starwort [Stitchwort] longifolia Muhl. ex Willd.

Starry [Campion] Fire Pink Catchfly [Windowsfrill] Silene virginica L. Silene stellata Dixie Stitchwort Sleepy Silene [Catchfly] var. virginica (L.) Ait. f. Minuartia muscorum (Fassett) Rabeler Silene antirrhina L. CARYOPHYLLACEAE – PINK FAMILY

Fendler's Sandwort; Arenaria fendleri A. Gray Thymeleaf Sandwort; Arenaria serpyllifolia L. (Introduced) Field Chickweed; Cerastium arvense L. ssp. velutinum (Raf.) Ugborogho Big [Common Mouse-Ear] Chickweed; Cerastium fontanum Baumg. ssp. vulgare (Hartm.) Greuter & Burdet (Introduced) Deptford Pink; Dianthus armeria L. (Introduced) Jagged Chickweed; Holosteum umbellatum L. (Introduced) Dixie Stitchwort; Minuartia muscorum (Fassett) Rabeler Twinflower [Alpine] Sandwort [Stitchwort]; Minuartia obtusiloba (Rydb.) House Pitcher's Stitchwort; Minuartia patula (Michx.) Mattf. Bouncing Bet [Soapwort]; Saponaria officinalis L. (Introduced) Moss Campion; Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. var. subacaulescens (F.N. Williams) Fernald & H. St. John Sleepy Silene [Catchfly]; Silene antirrhina L. White [Evening] Campion; Silene latifolia Poir. ssp. alba (P. Mill.) Greuter & Burdet (Introduced) Royal Catchfly; Silene regia Sims Starry [Campion] Catchfly [windowsfrill]; Silene stellata (L.) Ait. f. Fire Pink; Silene virginica L. var. virginica Bladder Campion [Maidenstears]; Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke (Introduced) Media Sandspurry; Spergularia maritima (All.) Chiov. (Introduced) [Roadside, Red] Sand Spurrey; Spergularia rubra (L.) J.& K. Presl (Introduced) Longleaf Starwort [Stitchwort]; Stellaria longifolia Muhl. ex Willd. Common Chickweed; Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (Introduced) Star [Great] Chickweed; Stellaria pubera Michx. Fendler's Sandwort USDA Arenaria fendleri A. Gray Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Notes: 5-petaled flower, white with red anthers, sepals slender (lanceolate) and sharp pointed; leaves linear and somewhat grass-like, mostly basal but some cauline leaves present; spreading and forming mats; foothills to alpine environments; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Thymeleaf Sandwort USDA Arenaria serpyllifolia L. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, sepals longer than petals; leaves ovate, opposite, sessile, pubescent, widely spread on stem; stem evenly pubescent, plant spreading to erect; spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2007] Field Chickweed USDA Cerastium arvense L. ssp. velutinum (Raf.) Ugborogho Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Sam A. Baker State Park, Wayne County, Missouri Notes: flowers white, 5 petals, notched or divided deeply to 1/3 length of petal, petals reaching 1 cm and 2-3X length of sepals, sepals with some glandular hairs; leaves linear to slightly oblong, very hairy; stem to 35-40 cm, densely hairy; spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2010] Big [Common Mouse-Ear] USDA Chickweed Cerastium fontanum Baumg. ssp. vulgare (Hartm.) Greuter & Burdet (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Clearwater Lake Area, County, Missouri Notes: flowers white, 5 petals deeply notched often to midpoint, petals slightly longer to usually shorter than sepals, sepals with a thin white margin, densely hairy but mostly non-glandular; leaves oblong to ovate with sharp point, very hairy; stem thick and densely hairy; fruit a little curved; plant base somewhat prostrate and then erect, often branching in upper half; spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2012] Deptford Pink USDA Dianthus armeria L. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, deep pink with white dots and toothed, sepals hairy, flower short-stalked, bracts long; leaves mostly linear to lanceolate; late spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Jagged Chickweed USDA Holosteum umbellatum L. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, tips toothed, flowers in an umbel and drooping when in seed (mature), leaves oblong to nearly lanceolate, stem leaves sessile forming a sheath at base, stem hairy as are leaf edges; sometimes forming colonies or mats; Spring [V Max Brown, 2007] Dixie Stitchwort USDA Minuartia muscorum (Fassett) Rabeler Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Cherokee Prairie Natural Area, Franklin County, Arkansas Notes: flowers white, 5 petals, notched but not divided, petals much longer than sepals, sepals with some glandular hairs, narrowly lanceolate with 3 ridges or nerves; leaves opposite, widely spaced and linear, fairly soft; stem to 25-50+ cm, upper stem hairy; spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Twinflower [Alpine] USDA Sandwort [Stitchwort] Minuartia obtusiloba (Rydb.) House Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Notes: 5-petaled flower, white (often with greenish veins), obovate to spatulate, sepals shorter than petals and glandular hairy, flowers often solitary; leaves opposite, linear to lanceolate, flat to somewhat fleshy; plant often mat forming; alpine; summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Pitcher's Stitchwort USDA Minuartia patula (Michx.) Mattf. Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Cherokee Prairie Natural Area, Franklin County, Arkansas Notes: flowers white, 5 petals, barely notched, petals much longer than sepals, sepals broadly lanceolate, some glandular hairs, with 5 ridges or nerves; leaves opposite, widely spaced and linear, fairly soft; stem to 25-40 cm, upper stem hairy; spring to early summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Bouncing Bet [Soapwort] USDA Saponaria officinalis L. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flowers, white or pink, in a dense cluster; petals indented and bent back (claw and blade); leaves ovoid; stem smooth to slightly hairy; common but variable plant; summer and fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Moss Campion USDA Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. var. subacaulescens (F.N. Williams) Fernald & H. St. John Caryophyullaceae (Pink Family) Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Notes: 5-petaled, very deeply cleft or lobed flower, bright pink (light purple, rarely white), short stalked, solitary; leaves mostly basal, linear to lanceolate (small), ciliated edges; forms a dense cushion; summer [V Max Brown, 2012] Sleepy Silene [Catchfly] USDA Silene antirrhina L. Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Waterville, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flowers (or no petals), 2-cleft, white or pink, calyx oblong to globose, not very constricted at top, green nerves conspicuous, flowers in a loose branching structure; stem leaves opposite, sessile, highly variable; stem often with sticky band beneath upper leaf pair between nodes; late spring to summer (several forms recognized) [V Max Brown, 2007] White [Evening] Campion USDA Silene latifolia Poir. ssp. alba (P. Mill.) Greuter & Burdet (Introduced) Caryophyullaceae (Pink Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: plant dioecious; 5-petaled flower, white (to pinkish) and notched, pistillate flower with several (4-5) styles, calyx inflated and veined; stem leaves paired and elliptical to lanceolate; stem and leaves downy hairy; late spring to fall [V Max Brown, 2004] Royal Catchfly USDA Silene regia Sims Caryophyullaceae (Pink Family) Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Greene County, Missouri Notes: 5-petaled, very deeply cleft or lobed flower, very bright red, petals may be slightly notched, 3 styles, calyx somewhat inflated and ridged, glandular; leaves lanceolate, mostly entire, hairy, 10- 20+ pairs; stem very fine downy; summer to early fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Starry [Campion] USDA Catchfly [Windowsfrill] Silene stellata (L.) Ait. f. Caryophyullaceae (Pink) Family Busiek State Forest and Wildlife Area, Christian County, Missouri Notes: 5-petaled flower, white with deeply fringed petals, sepals triangular with sharp tip; middle leaves whorled in 4, ovoid to lanceolate; stem hairy; summer to fall [V Max Brown, 2010] Fire Pink USDA Silene virginica L. var. virginica Caryophyullaceae (Pink Family) Shawnee State Forest, Scioto County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled, very deeply cleft or lobed flower, very bright red, petals notched, 3 styles, calyx fused and somewhat inflated and ridged, a few flowers on long stalks; stem leaves paired, mostly entire, abundant short hairs, sessile and lanceolate; stem downy hairy; early spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2009] Bladder Campion [Catchfly] USDA [Maidenstears] Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke (Introduced) Caryophyullaceae (Pink) Family Pokagon State Park, Steuben County, Indiana Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, 2-cleft, 3 extended styles, calyx very inflated with many cross-veins; leaves opposite, lanceolate to ovate; plant branching with many flowers; mostly in grassy areas; late spring to early fall [V Max Brown, 2007] Media Sandspurry USDA Spergularia maritima (All.) Chiov. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Univ. of Toledo Campus, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, white (sometimes pink), sepals longer than petals; leaves opposite (with axillary fascicles), linear, flat and often fleshy, not very mucronate, up to 5+ cm; late spring to summer (ID tentative) [V Max Brown, 2005] [Roadside, Red] Sand Spurry USDA Spergularia rubra (L.) J.& K. Presl (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Grand Lake area, Grand County, Colorado Notes: 5-petaled flower, pink (or white), sepals usually longer than petals, sepals glandular hairy; leaves opposite (with axillary fascicles), linear, flat to somewhat fleshy, mucronate, up to 3+ cm; late spring to summer (ID tentative) [V Max Brown, 2012] Longleaf Starwort [Stitchwort] USDA Stellaria longifolia Muhl. ex Willd. Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: 5-petaled flower, white, so deeply cut as to look like 10 petals, sepals noticeably shorter than petals; leaves opposite or pared, mostly linear to linear-lanceolate, sessile; main stem square; spreading to erect plant, branched; late spring to summer [V Max Brown, 2007] Common USDA Chickweed Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Oak Openings Metropark, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flowers white, 5 petals deeply split (looks like 10), sepals usually longer than petals; leaves oblong to elliptical, stem leaf petioles increasing in length down the stem; plant hairy, not sticky; very common plant, difficult and variable to ID; spring to fall, winter in some places [V Max Brown, 2006] Common Chickweed (winter views) Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (Introduced) Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) January, Southwest Missouri Star [Great] Chickweed USDA Stellaria pubera Michx. Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family) Maumee River Metroparks, Lucas County, Ohio Notes: flowers white and conspicuous; petals deeply cleft (looks like 10); sepals often longer than petals or close, densely hairy on back; leaves pared, sessile – lower leaves on short petioles, 4X or less long than wide; spreading to erect plant; spring to early summer (ID ??) [V Max Brown, 2005]