Silene baccifera (L.) Roth

Silene species are annual, biennial or perennial herbs, stem erect, ascending or climbing, diffusely branched, angular, glabrous or pubescent, rootstock slender. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-obovate, base cuneate to obtuse, margin entire, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous or pubescent, petiole short to subsessile. Inflorescence solitary, monochasium, dichasium or thyrse usually in supra axillary or terminal leafy cymes in branches end. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic, male sterile flowers present in hermaphroditic plants and male sterile flowers have shorter petal limbs and androgynophores than bisexual flowers, pedicellate, calyx campanulate, tubular, funnel shaped, usually 10 veined, divided into 5 unequal teeth with margins ciliate, membranous, apex subacute, petals 5, free, many colored, base with auriculately clawed, margin entire, apex bifid, quadra-fid or laciniate. Stamens usually 10, filaments filiform, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, unilocular above partially tri-locular at the base, ovules numerous, styles 3 or rarely 5, filiform. Fruit capsule, obovoid-globose, black when ripe, dehiscing with 6 or 10 teeth. Seeds many, reniform, compressed, black.

Silene species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: June-August.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals.

Perennial herbs, about 60-120 cm, stem subscandent or climbing, diffusely branched, angular, shoots pubescent with white hairs, rootstock slender, whitish, fusiform, yellow when cut. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic, about 2.5-7 x 1-2.5 cm across, base obtuse, margin entire, apex deeply acute to acuminate, chartaceous, membranous, sparsely pubescent both above and beneath on the midrib and lateral veins, midrib impressed above and faintly prominent beneath, lateral veins 4-6 on either side of the midrib faint, petiole up to 1 cm long near the stem base, becoming shorter towards the apex. Inflorescence solitary, monochasium, dichasium cymes in supra axillary or terminal leafy branches end. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic, about 1.8 cm across, male sterile flowers present in hermaphroditic plants and male sterile flowers have shorter petal limbs and androgynophores than bisexual flowers, pedicel about 4-12 mm long, calyx campanulate, tubular, funnel shaped, usually 10 veined, divided into 5 unequal teeth with margins ciliate, membranous, apex subacute, about twice as long as the tube, petals 5, free, white tinged with many colors, base with auriculately clawed, inserted hypogynously at the end of gynophore, deeply bilobed, base of the limb with 2 scales, receptacle about 3 mm long. Stamens usually 10, filaments filiform, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, unilocular above partially tri-locular at the base, ovules numerous, styles 3, filiform, stigma inside. Fruit indehiscent capsule, obovoid-globose, black when ripe, dehiscing with 6 or 10 teeth, irregularly. Seeds many, reniform, about 1.5 mm across, compressed, black.

Silene species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots and moulds.

Temperate Himalayas and grassy places near pine forests, altitude 1500-2200 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in medicine.