1. Guides
  2. MVP
  3. Rote Lichtnelke

Rote Lichtnelke

Silene dioica

Summary 7

Red campion (Silene dioica, syn. Melandrium rubrum) is a flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, native throughout central, western and northern Europe, and locally in southern Europe.

Description 8

It is a biennial or perennial plant, with dark pink to red flowers, each 1.8-2.5 cm across.There are five petals which are deeply notched at the end, narrowed at the base and all go into an urn-shaped calyx. As indicated by the specific name, male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, the male with 10 stamens and a 10-veined calyx, the female with 5 styles and a 20-veined calyx. The fruit, produced from July onwards, is an ovoid capsule containing numerous seeds, opening at the apex by 10 teeth which curve back. The flowers are unscented. The flowering period is from May to October. The plant grows to 30-90 cm, with branching stems. The deep green leaves are in opposite and decussate pairs, simple acute ovate, 3-8 cm long with an untoothed margin; both the leaves and stems of the plant are hairy and slightly sticky. The upper leaves are stalkless.

Uses 8

This plant is used as an ornamental perennial flower for the perennial border. One particularly notable variety is a hot pink, double flowered variety with deep green leaves called 'Firefly'.

Besides the aesthetic value of its flowers, the crushed seeds of red campion have also been used to treat snakebites . The nectar of the flowers is utilised by bumblebees and butterflies, and several species of moth feed on the foliage.

Associations 9

Foodplant / spot causer
mainly hypophyllous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia lychnicola causes spots on live leaf of Silene dioica x latifolia (S. x hampeana)

Associations 10

Foodplant / sap sucker
Aphis fabae sucks sap of Silene dioica

Foodplant / sap sucker
Brachycaudus sucks sap of Silene dioica
Other: major host/prey

Plant / associate
nymph of Dicyphus globulifer is associated with live Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 6-early 8

Foodplant / spot causer
acervulus of Diplosporonema coelomycetous anamorph of Diplosporonema delastrei causes spots on live stem of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 7-10
Other: minor host/prey

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
Erysiphe buhrii parasitises Silene dioica

Foodplant / pathogen
embedded sorus of Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae infects and damages live anther of Silene dioica

Plant / associate
Myoleja caesio is associated with Silene dioica
Remarks: Other: uncertain

Foodplant / sap sucker
Myzus persicae sucks sap of Silene dioica

Foodplant / saprobe
superficial, scattered on in small groups, thinly subiculate perithecium of Nectria ellisii is saprobic on dead stem of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 5-12

Plant / resting place / within
puparium of Ophiomyia melandricaulis may be found in stem mine of Silene dioica

Foodplant / miner
larva of Ophiomyia melandryi mines inside hollow stem of Silene dioica
Other: sole host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
sporangium of Peronospora melandryi parasitises live Silene dioica

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed conidioma of Phomopsis coelomycetous anamorph of Phomopsis silenes is saprobic on dead stem of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 8

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous, numerous, scattered pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta lychnidina causes spots on live leaf of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 7-8

Foodplant / feeds on
more or less epiphyllous, numerous, scattered pycnidium of Phyllosticta coelomycetous anamorph of Phyllosticta punctiformis feeds on fading leaf of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 9

Foodplant / parasite
hypophyllous telium of Puccinia arenariae parasitises live leaf of Silene dioica
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / parasite
uredium of Puccinia behenis parasitises live Silene dioica

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent, sometimes becoming superficial apothecium of Pyrenopeziza lychnidis is saprobic on dead stem of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 4-6

Foodplant / spot causer
amphigenous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia didymarioides causes spots on live leaf of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 10-11
Other: major host/prey

Foodplant / spot causer
mainly hypophyllous colony of Ramularia hyphomycetous anamorph of Ramularia lychnicola causes spots on live leaf of Silene dioica

Foodplant / spot causer
mostly epiphyllous, scattered, brown pycnidium of Septoria coelomycetous anamorph of Septoria lychnidis causes spots on live leaf of Silene dioica
Remarks: season: 5-9

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) stanze, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanzebla/14058314542/
  2. (c) AnneTanne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/78746377@N00/2467112525
  3. (c) S. Rae, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/35142635@N05/8840887117/
  4. (c) john shortland, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnshortland/9020298776/
  5. (c) NiinaKesämaa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/78783359@N05/14080548517/
  6. (c) Ian Hayhurst, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/imh/4625127622/
  7. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silene_dioica
  8. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silene_dioica
  9. (c) BioImages, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22911542
  10. (c) BioImages, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22911541

More Info

iNat Map

Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers