Silene nuda
Sticky catchfly, Sticky Catchfly
(c) Mike Heine, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Silene nuda (Sticky catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Key features: Modoc Plateau only, sticky stems, large basal leaves, few small cauline leaves.
Sticky catchfly is a California native perennial found in northern and central Sierra Nevada Mountains and Modoc Plateau in shrubland, juniper woodland, and conifer forest at elevations of 1,200 to 1,900 meters. Flowering during summer, this plant produces delicate pink flowers with petals 5 to 10 millimeters long, featuring distinctive two-lobed limbs. Growing 15 to 50 centimeters tall with erect stems that are distinctively glandular-hairy, it develops a sparse caudex with few branches. Its leaves are notably variable, with basal leaves 6 to 15 centimeters long and 10 to 30 millimeters wide, oblanceolate to elliptic, transitioning to narrower linear to lanceolate cauline leaves above. The fruit is small and conic to elliptic, bearing seeds about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long and brown in color.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species. Key features: Modoc Plateau only, sticky stems, large basal leaves, few small cauline leaves.
Habitat and range
Habitat: shrubland, juniper woodland, conifer forest
Elevation: 1200-1900 m
California counties: Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, El Dorado, Shasta
Outside California: southern Oregon, western Nevada
Bloom period
Silene nuda 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 nuda native to California?
Yes. Silene nuda is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene nuda bloom?
Silene nuda blooms Summer.
Where in California does Silene nuda grow?
Silene nuda occurs in Plumas, Lassen, Modoc, Sierra, El Dorado, Shasta, at elevations of 1200-1900 m.
What plant family does Silene nuda belong to?
Silene nuda is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene nuda grow in?
Silene nuda grows in shrubland, juniper woodland, 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.