Lychnis viscaria

Silene viscaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Caryophyllaceae
Genus:	Silene
Species:	S. viscaria
Binomial name
Silene viscaria (L.) Jess. 1879
Synonyms
Lychnis viscaria L. 1753

Lychnis viscaria L. 1753

Silene viscaria, the sticky catchfly or clammy campion, is a flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae.

It is an upright perennial growing to 60 cm (24 in) in height. The leaves are lanceolate. The flowers, which are 20mm across and bright rosy-pink, appear in long whorled spikes from May to August. It grows on cliffs and rocky places.

The Latin specific epithet viscaria means “sticky”, and refers to the stickiness of the stem just below the leaf joints. The English common names reference the same feature.

S. viscaria is also grown as an ornamental garden plant. In British horticultural literature it is often referred to by its synonym Lychnis viscaria. The cultivar ‘Splendens Plena’, a double-flowered form, has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Lychnis viscaria is said to increase the disease resistance of surrounding plants. Extract from L. viscaria contains a relatively high amount of brassinosteroids, which have a proven positive effect on the growth of other plants. In Germany the extract is allowed for use as a "plant strengthening substance".

Seed, background lines are 5 mm (0.20 in) apart

Whorl of seed capsules, background lines are 5mm apart

Seed capsule, viewed from side

Seed capsule, viewed end on

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Wikipedia