Silene bridgesii
Bridges' catchfly
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Silene bridgesii (Bridges' catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: nodding flowers, white 2-lobed petals, conifer forest habitat.
Bridges' catchfly is a California native perennial found in the northwestern California, southern Cascade Range, and Sierra Nevada mountains in open areas and conifer forests at elevations of 600 to 2,400 meters. Flowering during summer, this plant produces white flowers with two-lobed petals 14 to 28 millimeters long, nodding gracefully on glandular stems. Growing 16 to 50 centimeters tall with decumbent to erect stems that are puberulent and sticky, it develops a caudex with one or few branches. Its leaves transition distinctively from lower oblanceolate to elliptic leaves 6 to 15 millimeters wide to smaller upper lanceolate leaves 3 to 12 millimeters wide. The fruit is an ovoid capsule with a short 2 to 3 millimeter puberulent stalk, containing small brown seeds.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 31 sympatric species. Key features: nodding flowers, white 2-lobed petals, conifer forest habitat.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open areas, conifer forest
Elevation: 600-2400 m
California counties: Inyo, Butte, Fresno, Madera, Nevada, Tulare, Tuolumne, El Dorado, Shasta, Amador, Calaveras, Humboldt, Mariposa, Lassen, Trinity, Plumas, Yuba, Tehama, Mendocino
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Silene bridgesii blooms Summer.
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 bridgesii native to California?
Yes. Silene bridgesii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene bridgesii bloom?
Silene bridgesii blooms Summer.
Where in California does Silene bridgesii grow?
Silene bridgesii occurs in Inyo, Butte, Fresno, Madera, Nevada, Tulare, Tuolumne, El Dorado and other counties, at elevations of 600-2400 m.
What plant family does Silene bridgesii belong to?
Silene bridgesii is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene bridgesii grow in?
Silene bridgesii grows in Open areas, conifer forest.
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.