Silene antirrhina
Sleepy catchfly
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Silene antirrhina (Sleepy catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: annual habit, very small petals (<2.5mm), sticky upper internodes.
Sleepy catchfly is a California native annual found in California Floristic Province, Modoc Plateau, and desert regions in open areas and burns at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces white to red flowers in delicate clusters with petals approximately 2.5 millimeters long. Growing with erect stems 12 to 80 centimeters tall, the plant has distinctively sticky upper stems that become progressively more slender towards the top. Its leaves transition from oblanceolate at the base to linear or narrow oblanceolate near the stem's top, measuring 1 to 3 centimeters long and 3 to 5 millimeters wide. The tiny gray-black seeds are less than 1 millimeter in size, contributing to the plant's delicate and ephemeral nature.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 35 sympatric species. Key features: annual habit, very small petals (<2.5mm), sticky upper internodes.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas, burns
Elevation: < 1800 m
California counties: San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, Monterey, Butte, Fresno, Kern, Lake, Napa, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tehama, Tulare, Ventura, Mariposa, Amador, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Madera, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Marin, Glenn, Humboldt, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Modoc, Calaveras, Colusa, Yolo, Mendocino, Alameda, Plumas
Outside California: +- North America.
Bloom period
Silene antirrhina blooms Apr-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Spigelia: Silene has 5 separate petals in pink family arrangement; Spigelia has tubular red flowers with 5-lobed tips.; vs Pelargonium: Silene has radially symmetric flowers with 5 equal petals; Pelargonium has bilateral flowers with unequal petals.; vs Cistanthe: Silene has a tubular calyx fused around the flower; Cistanthe has 2 separate, rounded sepals that fall off.; vs Castilleja: Silene has showy petals; Castilleja's color comes from bracts hiding tiny tubular flowers.; vs Petrorhagia: Silene has an inflated, rounded calyx tube; Petrorhagia has a narrow, cylindrical calyx with papery bracts below.
Frequently asked questions
Is Silene antirrhina native to California?
Yes. Silene antirrhina is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene antirrhina bloom?
Silene antirrhina blooms Apr-Aug.
Where in California does Silene antirrhina grow?
Silene antirrhina occurs in San Diego, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, Monterey, Butte, Fresno, Kern and other counties, at elevations of < 1800 m.
What plant family does Silene antirrhina belong to?
Silene antirrhina is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene antirrhina grow in?
Silene antirrhina grows in Open areas, burns.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.