Species name :

Silene melitensisBrullo, C. Brullo, Cambria, Lanfr., S. Lanfr., Miniss., Sciandr. & Giusso
Published in Phytotaxa 297(3): 246

Synonyms :
(basionym or principal syn.)

No Main Synonyms

Plant Family :

Caryophyllaceae Juss. (The Pink or Carnation Family)
41 species from the Caryophyllaceae family are recorded from the Maltese Islands.

English name(s) :

Maltese Catchfly, Maltese Campion

Maltese name(s) :

Ilsien l-għasfur ta\' Malta

Status for Malta :

Endemic. Occurs only on the Maltese islands

Frequency :

Very Common     Common    Frequent     Scarce     Rare    Very rare    Extinct

Growth form :

Germination type [info]: Dicotyledon
Raunkiaer lifeform [info]: Therophyte ( annual plants, herbaceous, die after fruiting/seeding stage )

Legal Protection :

Protected by law: Regulation 26 of [S.L. 549.44] (Strictly protected endemic species)

Red List (1989) :

Not listed in the Red Data Book of the Maltese Islands

Flowering Time :

March – May

Colour of Flowers:

Pink

Toxicity:

Not particularly toxic

Name Derivation :

Silene: "probably from the Greek ""sialon"" (=saliva) referring to the viscous excretion of several species. Another derivation could come from the name Silenus, the intoxicated foster-father of Bacchus (god of wine) who was covered with foam, much like the glandular secretions of many species of this genus". (Greek origin)

melitensis: "Originating from or related to the Maltese Islands. ()

Planting in rural areas :

Encouraged to be planted in the wild that is in rural areas including ODZ.

Remarks :

Described from Malta as an endemic species, but later it has been recorded from Tunisia and probably has a coastal distribution in the southern part of the central Mediterranean region, rather than being endemic to the Maltese Islands.

The species forms part of teh Silene colorata complex and differs from S. colorata by being smaller, having a decumbent growth (hence flowering stems start lying down and curve upwards) and having succulent leaves. It is interesting to note that such forms have already been observed and reported by Borg (1927)as Silene sericea var. decumbens & var. crassifolia. It is unclear why these taxa have not been taken into taxonomic consideration - are they invalid, or have they been simply neglected? Borg was clearly referring to and describing the coastal succulent forms of S. colorata, which in the 20th century was reported as S. sericea.