Silene hookeri
Hooker's catchfly
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Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2
Silene hookeri (Hooker's catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: KR/NCoR only, salverform flowers, narrow throat, oblong petal lobes vs Bolander's.
Hooker's catchfly is a rare (CNPS 2B.2) California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges and northern Coast Ranges in serpentine soils, dry rocky ground, talus, and pine or oak forest at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces pale to deep pink flowers with white exposed upper petal claws, creating delicate blossoms 21 to 40 millimeters in diameter. Growing 5 to 20 centimeters tall with decumbent to erect stems that are appressed hairy below and glandular-puberulent above, it forms a plant with multiple caudex branches. Its oblanceolate leaves range from 2 to 8 centimeters long and 8 to 25 millimeters wide, becoming progressively reduced toward the stem's upper portions. The fruit is an oblong to ovoid capsule with a short 2 to 5 millimeter stalk, producing small black seeds about 2 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 20 sympatric species. Key features: KR/NCoR only, salverform flowers, narrow throat, oblong petal lobes vs Bolander's.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Serpentine soils, dry rocky ground, talus, or pine or oak forest
Elevation: < 1400 m
California counties: Humboldt, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Del Norte, Shasta, Lake
Outside California: Oregon
Bloom period
Silene hookeri blooms Spring-early summer.
Conservation status
CNPS 2B.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 hookeri native to California?
Yes. Silene hookeri is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene hookeri bloom?
Silene hookeri blooms Spring-early summer.
Where in California does Silene hookeri grow?
Silene hookeri occurs in Humboldt, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Del Norte, Shasta, Lake, at elevations of < 1400 m.
What plant family does Silene hookeri belong to?
Silene hookeri is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
Is Silene hookeri rare or endangered?
Silene hookeri carries California Rare Plant Rank 2B.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 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.