Seasonal Wild Flowers

Small-flowered Catchfly

Silene gallica

Caryophyllaceae

June to October

It is found throughout the country but is much less

common in the Midlands and the North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Small-flowered Catchfly

It is an archaeophyte that grows in disturbed ground, dry

grassland, sand dunes, and harvested arable fields.

Small-flowered Catchfly is an annual, sticky, herb,

growing up to 45cm.

Flowers are up to 12mm, white or slightly pink and

mainly on one side of the stem.

There are 3 stigmas and 10 stamens.

The calyx is cylindrical-ovoid, with 5 long triangular

teeth, 10 veins and covered with long, viscid (sticky)

hairs.

Leaves are spathulate (slightly broader towards the

end) and up to 5cm.

Lower leaves are stalked and upper leaves are

sessile and hairy.

Stems are simple or branched and the upper

parts are hairy.

Previous page: Slender Tare
Next page: Small Scabious

Small-flowered Catchfly in a

bulb field, Bryher, Isles of Scilly

One-sided flower stem

Close-up of flowers - stigmas, stamens

Side view- flowers, capsules,

bracts, hairs

Upper leaves, sessile, hairy