Silene dioica (L.) Clairv.
(Red Campion)

Taxonomic hierarchy:
SpeciesSilene dioica (Red Campion)
GenusSilene (campions and catchflies)
FamilyCARYOPHYLLACEAE (chickweeds, stitchworts and campions, carnation)
OrderCARYOPHYLLALES (pinks, goosefoots and docks)
SubclassEU-DICOTS (dicotyledonous flowering plants)
ClassMAGNOLIOPSIDA (flowering plants)
PhylumTRACHEOPHYTA (vascular plants)
KingdomPLANTAE (plants)
DomainEukaryota (eukaryotes)
LifeBIOTA (living things)
Records of Silene dioica (Red Campion) :
1: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
31 Jul 2013 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
in seed
Image 1: Seeds - highly enlarged - silver backgroundImage 2: Seeds - highly enlarged - silver background (2)Image 3: Seeds - magnified - silver backgroundImage 4: Seeds - magnified - silver background (2)Image 5: Seed - microscope low magnification - pale backgroundImage 6: Seed - surface on face - close-up - microscope low magnificationImage 7: Seed - surface on profile - close-up - microscope low magnification - pale background
2: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
11 Jul 2012 OSGR: SD75 54° 0’ N, 2° 20’ W Vice County: Mid-west Yorks (VC 64) England
Image 1: Seed - microscope low magnification - pale background
3: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
28 Aug 2011 OSGR: SJ41 52° 40’ N, 2° 50’ W Vice County: Shrops (VC 40) England
in fruit
Image 1: Seeds - microscope low magnificationImage 2: Seed surface - microscope low magnification
4: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
19 May 2008 OSGR: NR92 55° 30’ N, 5° 10’ W Vice County: Clyde Islands (VC 100) Scotland
Female-flowered Red Campion
Image 1: Female flowersImage 2: Female flowers (2)Image 3: Female flowers (3)Image 4: Female flowers (4)Image 5: Female flowers (5)Image 6: Female flowers (6)
5: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
19 May 2008 OSGR: NR92 55° 30’ N, 5° 10’ W Vice County: Clyde Islands (VC 100) Scotland
Male-flowered Red Campion
Image 1: Male flowers
6: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
5 May 2007 OSGR: SU67 51° 30’ N, 1° 0’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male plant
Image 1: Male flowers
7: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
11 May 2002 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
male plant
Image 1: Flower - side viewImage 2: Flower - side view (2)Image 3: Flowers - in sunshineImage 4: Inflorescence -side viewImage 5: Leaf pairImage 6: Flower - enlarged
8: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
11 May 2002 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Vegetative - leaves - oblique viewImage 2: Vegetative - leaves - top view
9: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
11 May 2002 OSGR: SU46 51° 20’ N, 1° 20’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Male plant
Image 1: Flower - enlargedImage 2: Flower - magnified
10: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
10 Aug 1999 OSGR: SX84 50° 20’ N, 3° 40’ W Vice County: South Devon (VC 3) England
Image 1: Seedling - close-upImage 2: Seedlings - top viewImage 3: SeedImage 4: Seed (2)Image 5: Seed (3)Image 6: Seed (4)Image 7: Seed (5)Image 8: Seed (6)Image 9: Seed pod - apical viewImage 10: Seed pod - side viewImage 11: Seed pod - side view (2)Image 12: SeedsImage 13: Seeds (2)Image 14: Seeds (3)Image 15: Seeds (4)Image 16: Seeds (5)Image 17: Seeds (6)Image 18: Seeds (7)
11: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
23 Jun 1997 OSGR: SU57 51° 30’ N, 1° 10’ W Vice County: Berks (VC 22) England
Image 1: Seed capsule
12: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
9 Jul 1978 OSGR: SU72 51° 0’ N, 0° 60’ W Vice County: North Hants (VC 12) England

specimen with a few branches

Image 1: SeedsImage 2: Capsule - ripe - side view - enlargedImage 3: Capsule - ripe - top view - enlarged
13: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
4 Jun 1978 OSGR: TQ21 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England

specimen with a few branches

Image 1: Flowers - close-upImage 2: Flowers with Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae infection
14: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
31 May 1971 OSGR: TQ21 50° 50’ N, 0° 10’ W Vice County: East Sussex (VC 14) England

specimen with a few branches

Image 1: Flowers
15: Silene dioica (Red Campion)
1 Jun 1969 OSGR: TG21 52° 40’ N, 1° 20’ E Vice County: East Norfolk (VC 27) England

Chimeric flower

specimen with a few branches

Image 1: Chimeric flower

Silene dioica (Red Campion) may be included in identification literature listed under the following higher taxa:

NBNNBN (data.nbn.org.uk) has a distribution map for Silene dioica (Red Campion)
BioInfoBioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 29 host/parasite/foodplant and/or other relationships for Silene dioica (Red Campion)

A pretty plant for the wildlife garden which grows easily in sun or semi-shade.

Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, the female flowers being slightly larger, the males slightly darker red (especially the calyx).

Be sure to weed out all female plants (easily recognised by the developing pods in late May) before the seeds ripen or it’ll seed down and can then be very invasive.

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