Silene bolanderi
Bolander's catchfly
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2
Silene bolanderi (Bolander's catchfly) is a native California perennial in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: limited geographic range, broad leaves, large funnel-shaped flowers.
Bolander's catchfly is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern coastal California (NCoRO) in serpentine and non-serpentine oak and conifer woodlands at elevations below 1,000 meters. Flowering in spring, this plant produces pale pink to white flowers with distinctive petal structures, featuring inner lobes that are narrow and at least five times longer than wide. Growing with decumbent to erect stems 5 to 20 centimeters tall and covered in soft, wavy hairs, it forms a plant with multiple caudex branches. Its leaves are oblanceolate, slightly reduced toward the stem's top, measuring 2 to 8 centimeters long and 8 to 25 millimeters wide. The plant's flowers have a unique corolla structure with exserted stamens positioned evenly around the throat and prominent paired ridges on the petal claws.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 15 sympatric species. Key features: limited geographic range, broad leaves, large funnel-shaped flowers.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine and non-serpentine soils, oak, conifer woodland
Elevation: < 1000 m
California counties: Trinity, Humboldt, Mendocino, Shasta
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Silene bolanderi blooms Spring.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.2
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 bolanderi native to California?
Yes. Silene bolanderi is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene bolanderi bloom?
Silene bolanderi blooms Spring.
Where in California does Silene bolanderi grow?
Silene bolanderi occurs in Trinity, Humboldt, Mendocino, Shasta, at elevations of < 1000 m.
What plant family does Silene bolanderi belong to?
Silene bolanderi is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
Is Silene bolanderi rare or endangered?
Silene bolanderi carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.2, state rank S2.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.