Silene suecica

Alpine campion ( Silene suecica )

The Alpine Campion, also Alpine Campion ( Silene suecica, Syn: Lychnis alpina L. ) belongs to the carnation family ( Caryophyllaceae ).

Description

The Alpine Campion is a perennial, herbaceous plant that reaches the heights of growth 5-15 centimeters. The upright stems are hairy hairless or only sparse and short. The basal leaves are crowded in rosettes, the upper something away. They are narrow - lanceolate and are 1-5 inches long and between 1-7 millimeters wide. The wide base of the leaf and the edge are ciliated, the spreading end in a narrow peak.

The species flowers from May to July blasspurpurnen to bright red short -stalked or sitting in capitate inflorescences flowers. They are 8-12 mm wide. The petals are deeply emarginate and wear in the throat small scales. Each flower has five pen. The cup is about 5 mm long, campanulate, glabrous with insignificant nerves. The capsule opens at the top with 5 teeth and dismisses at maturity numerous small seeds.

Dissemination

The Alpine Campion growing on lime-poor soils in wind-exposed, sunny locations. She finds herself with pleasure on nude Ried ( Carici rupestri - Kobresietea ) and Krumm harrow lawn ( Caricetum curvulae ), but also between rock rubble. The site is alpine at altitudes up to 3100 m above sea level.

The circulation area covers the western and central Alps, but also the Pyrenees, the Apennines and arctic areas.

Culture

As an ornamental plant for rockeries different hybrids and cultivated forms are available in different colors on the market.

Special

The Alpine Campion able to accumulate the heavy metal copper in ionized form. As an indicator plant can therefore provide information on former medieval slag heaps of copper ores. Such indicators are interested in the phytoremediation and Phytoprospektion.