Lychnis viscaria, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 157

6. L. viscaria L. , Sp. Pl. 436 (1753)

( Viscaria viscosa Ascherson , V. vulgaris Bernh. ).

Stem 15-90 cm, simple, or branched above, glabrous or slightly hairy above, viscid below the upper nodes. Leaves mostly basal, linear- to ovate-lanceolate, petiolate, glabrous, usually ciliate at base. Flowers usually in 3- to 6- flowered, shortly stalked opposite dichasia which are arranged in a lax, spike-like panicle. Calyx 6-15 mm. Petals usually dark or pinkish-purple, rarely white, entire or emarginate. Capsule 7-10 mm. Most o f continental Europe, but rare in the south-west. Al Au Be Br Bu Cz D a Fa Fe G a Ge G r He H o Hs Hu It Ju?Lu N o Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, K, E) Su Tu.

Very variable, the centre of variation being in Makedonija. To the north and west of this region, the plants have long carpophores, and in Greece only plants with short carpophores occur. The shape of the calyx is more or less correlated with the length ofrthe carpophore, but the other variable characters are not. Two subspecies can be recognized.