Bladder campion

Silene vulgaris

Description

Height

20–80 cm (8–32 in.). With many stems, stem ascending–erect, glabrous.

Flower

Corolla regular (actinomorphic)–slightly zygomorphic, white, approx. 2–3 cm (0.8–1.2 in.) broad; petals 5, usually deeply 2-lobed (sometimes shallowly lobed; ssp. littoralis). Corona unclear. Calyx fused, oval, 5-lobed, net-veined, glabrous. Stamens 10. Gynoecium syncarpous, with 3 styles. Inflorescence usually 20–50-flowered (sometimes flowers only 3–16; ssp. littoralis); flowers nodding, uppermost subtending bracts membranous.

Leaves

Opposite, basal leaves stalked, stem leaves stalkless. Basal leaf blades broadly elliptic, stem leaves’ ovately elliptic–broadly elliptic (sometimes narrowly ovate–almost linear and thickish; ssp. littoralis), glabrous, wax-covered, bluish green.