Silene latifolia
 
White Cockle

Male Plant
Middle Stem

Marcelin, Saskatchewan
18-Aug-2010

Note that Budd's Flora recognized two related genera - Silene and Lychnis - and it called this species Lychnis alba.  Today Lychnis is subsumed in a larger Silene. Therefore the answers separating Silene from Lychnis have been removed from the answers leading to the genus and added to the answers leading to the species.

Latifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this species.

styles 5; NOT [styles usually 3]

capsule 1-celled to base; NOT [capsule usually divided into partitions at base]

petals large, much protruding beyond the calyx; NOT [petals small, not or little protruding beyond the calyx]

calyx enlarging in fruit; NOT [calyx not or little enlarging]

flowers of different sexes on separate plants; NOT [flowers perfect]

 

Silene: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

plants NOT with woody base

calyx without bracts; NOT [calyx with 1-3 pairs of bracts below]

sepals united part way, forming a tube; NOT [sepals entirely separate]

lobes of sepals NOT over 20 mm long; NOT [sepals with long, leaf-like lobes, over 20 mm long]

petals usually present; NOT [petals absent]

petals clawed; NOT [petals lacking claws]

styles 3-5; NOT [styles2]

styles alternate with the petals; NOT [styles opposite the petals]

ovary stipitate

fruit dehiscent; NOT [fruit indehiscent]

fruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

 

Caryophyllaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

terrestrial plants; NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]

plants NOT with colored milky juice

plants with more than one normal leaf

leaves opposite, whorled, or basal; NOT [some or all leaves alternate]

leaves NOT glandular-dotted

plants without large petal-like bracts; NOT [plants with an involucre of 4 petal-like bracts]

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others

sepals more than 2; NOT [sepals 2]

stamens NOT united at base; NOT [stamens united at base into 3-5 bundles]

styles 2 or more; NOT [styles single]