Silene pusilla, Waldst. & Kit.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 173

94. S. pusilla Waldst. & Kit. , Pl. Rar. Hung. 3: 235 (1812)

(S. quadrifida auct., non L., 5. quadridentata subsp. quadridentata sensu Hayek , subsp. pusilla (Waldst. & Kit.) Neumayer , and subsp. albanica (K. Maly) Neumayer ; Heliosperma quadrifidum sensu Hegi ).

Stems up to 15 cm, weak, ascending, subglabrous or rather sparsely hairy, in upper part viscid with sessile glands and occasionally some multicellular glandular hairs. Leaves l-2(-4) mm wide, linear or linear-lanceolate. Calyx 3-5-7 mm, glabrous or somewhat glandular-hairy. Petals white, rarely pink or lilac; claw glabrous. Capsule broadly ovoid to subglobose, usually equalling or only slightly exceeding calyx, and 3-4 times as long as carpophore. Seeds c. 1 mm; dorsal crest constituting at least I of diameter of seed. 2/z = 24. Mountain rocks, streamsides, etc., rarely below 500 m. • 5. & C. Europe, northwards to the French Jura and W. Carpathians. Al Au Bu Co Cz G a Ge G r He Hs It Ju Po Rm Rs (W). Two plants described as subspecies of S. quadridentata , subsp. malyi Neumayer , Österr. Bot. Zeitschr. 72: 282 (1923), from N.W. Jugoslavia (Dinara Planina ), and subsp. candavica Neumayer , loc. cit. (1923), from Albania (Jablanica), are characterized by unusually well-developed coronal scales, which reach or exceed the base of the petal-lobes. There is insufficient information to decide their status; they could be considered as variants of 94. S. monachorum Vis. & Pancic , Mem. 1st. Veneto 12: 463 (1864), recorded from several localities from the Italian Alps to Crna Gora, is a more robust plant with wider basal leaves; the dorsal crest of the seed is said to be much narrower. Its status is obscure. A record of this plant from Sicilia needs confirmation.