| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
|---|---|
| Common name: | carnation/pink family [Zomlefer, pp. 54-56] |
| Diversity: | Worldwide: 80 genera; ~2,000 species U.S.: 20 genera PNW (Hitchcock & Cronquist): 19 genera |
| Flower -- Vegetative Features -- Economic Importance -- Flower Images-- Web Sites | |
| Flower | |
|---|---|
| K4-5 Co4-5 or 0 S5 or 5+5 P (2-5) | |
| Sexuality: | usu. bisexual, rarely unisexual/dioecious |
| Symmetry: | actinomorphic |
| Inflorescence: | usu. cyme, some solitary |
| Calyx (sepals): | 4 to 5, separate or sometimes connate (=united), often imbricate (=overlapping) with membranous margin |
| Corolla (petals): | 4 to 5, separate, often with distinct claw and limb, petal apex often notched giving bilobed or fringed margin |
| Androecium: | 5 or 10 in two whorls |
| Gynoecium: | 2 to 5 carpels, united, superior ovary (=hypogynous), styles free and equal to carpel number, ovules have free central placentation |
| Fruit: | capsule with teeth at apex, achene |
| Other features: | flowers with nectar, usually white or pink |
| Vegetative Features | |
|---|---|
| swollen stem nodes | |
| Leaves: | opposite, simple, entire, often narrow and lanceolate usu. exstipulate |
| Life-history: | annual to perennial |
| Habit: | herbs, some shrubby with woody stocks |
| Distribution & Ecology: | mainly cooler, temperate regions of N. Hemisphere, diversity centered in the Mediterranean |
| Some Northwest Genera: | Arenaria sandwort Silene campion or catch fly Stellaria starwort/chickweed Dianthus pinks Lychnis campion Saponaria soapwort |
| Economic Importance | |
|---|---|
| Crops: | |
| Ornamentals: | Dianthus carnation Gypsophila baby's breath |
| Weedy and pest species: | Cerastium chickweed Stellaria chickweed/starwort |
| Examples | |
|---|---|
| Caryophyllaceae Cerastium |
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| Caryophyllaceae Saponaria |
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| Caryophyllaceae Silene |
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| click on the genus name for a flower image | |
Links to Other Web Sites
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