Silene parishii
Parish's catchfly
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Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Silene parishii (Parish's catchfly) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by distinctive yellow-white flowers unique in genus.
Parish's catchfly is a California native perennial found in the southeastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, San Bernardino Mountains, and eastern Peninsular Ranges, including the San Jacinto Mountains, Santa Rosa Mountains, and Hot Springs Mountain in open, rocky to gravelly slopes and conifer forest at elevations of 1,800 to 3,350 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces yellow-white flowers with distinctive petal lobes approximately 7 to 10 millimeters long. Growing with ascending to erect stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has multiple branching caudex stems covered in short strigose or glandular hairs. Its leaves are lanceolate to slightly ovate, measuring 1.5 to 6 centimeters long and 5 to 15 millimeters wide, becoming slightly reduced toward the stem tips. The fruit is an ovoid to elliptic capsule with a short 2 to 3 millimeter stalk, containing small brown seeds about 1.5 to 2 millimeters in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; distinctive yellow-white flowers unique in genus
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky to gravelly slopes, conifer forest, alpine
Elevation: 1800-3350 m
California counties: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego
Bloom period
Silene parishii blooms Spring-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 parishii native to California?
Yes. Silene parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Silene parishii bloom?
Silene parishii blooms Spring-summer.
Where in California does Silene parishii grow?
Silene parishii occurs in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, at elevations of 1800-3350 m.
What plant family does Silene parishii belong to?
Silene parishii is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Silene.
What habitat does Silene parishii grow in?
Silene parishii grows in Open, rocky to gravelly slopes, conifer forest, alpine.
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.