Silene uniflora
Caryophyllaceae
March to October
It is found around the coast of England, especially the West
and Southwest, but is less common in the Northeast.
See the BSBI distribution map for Sea Campion
Sea Campion grows on cliffs, grassland, shingle and drift
zones by the sea, and by lakes and streams in upland
areas and by old railways, mines and waste tips.
Sea Campion is a native, prostrate, cushion-forming,
salt-tolerant, perennial herb growing up to 30cm.
The flower stem rise above the cushion of leaves and
has leaf-like bracts.
Flowers are up to 2.5cm with 5 deeply cleft, white
petals.
There are 10 stamens with long white or slightly
pink filaments and dark anthers.
There are 3 to 5 (usualy 3) long, white styles.
Stigmas are small and sometimes pink.
The calyx is bladder-like, patterned and has erect
triangular teeth.
The bladder is less globular that in Bladder Campion.
The seed capsule remains inside the calyx. It starts
off green and turns brown as the seeds ripen.
There are 6 recurved capsule teeth.
Leaves are up to 2cm, linear-lanceolate, greyish and
slightly thick and fleshy.
Sea Campion is the marine form of Bladder Campion,
S. vulgare.
It differs in flowering earlier, having wider petals, more
obvious anthers, recurved teeth on the seed capsule,
and smaller and thicker leaves.
Previous page: Sand Crocus
Next page: Shrubby Scorpion-vetch
Sea Campion on cliff top, West Bay, Dorset
On shingle, Chesil Beach, Dorset
3 Styles and 10 stamens
Greenish anthers
Flowers with 4 styles
Pink in the stigma position
Side view of bladder and leafy bracts
Remains of bladders with capsules inside
Unripe capsule
Ripe capsule with recurved teeth
Prostrate greyish leaves on shingle
Erect greyish leaves on turf
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