Author: آمنه غلامی 
Silene stapfii Melzh.
Mohammad Dadmand, Mostafa Assadi and Amene Gholami
Natural Resources Gene Bank, Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.
Uploaded at September 2024
Scientific editor: Masoumeh Izadpanah and Parvin Salehi Shanjani
Seed Storage
Storage behavior of this species is orthodox (desiccation-tolerant seeds); dry to 15 to 20% eRH and store at -20°C.
Germination requirements
The seeds of this species are non-dormant. Sterilize seeds before placing on wet germination paper or sand. Put them in 5 to 10 °C for 15 days to germinate uniformly. Then germinate at 20°C under 16/8 hr (day/night) photoperiod.
Morphology
Fruit type: Capsule, dehiscent by 6 triangular toothed opening
Fruit shape: Ovoid, tightly enclosed in calyx
Fruit size: Length 15 to 18 mm, width 4.5 to 5.5 mm
Seed shape: Reniform to circular, laterally compressed. Surface covered with shallow papillae, dull, reddish-brown to black.
Seed size: Length 1.4 to 1.7 mm, width 1.2 to 1.4 mm in an accession with 1000 seeds weight 1 gr, which was collected from Yazd, Taft by Arabzadeh in 2002 and the cultivated sample was identified by Mostafa Asadi and is stored in the Natural Resources Gene Bank of Iran with the accession number 13048.
Average 1000 seeds weight: 0.5 to 1.5 g
Biological features
Life Form: Herbaceous, Biennial or perennial. Stem erect, up to 10 cm height
Inflorescence, flower type and pollination mechanism: Inflorescence cyme, flowers white to pink. Plant monoecious, cross-pollinated. Pollination is carried out by both wind (anemophily) and insect (entomophily).
Time of flowering: May
Time of seed ripening: May to June
Seed dispersal methods: Seed weight
Geographical distribution: Endemic to Iran
Distribution in Iran: South. Mostly in province Kerman
Taxonomy
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Silene
Species: S. stapfii melzh
Common name: A kind of Catchfly
References and Links
Asadi, M., Fadaei, F., Tawakli, Z., Heydari Rikan, M., Mostafavi, G., Mahdavi, M., Poursakhi, K. and Nejad Flatori, A. 2023. Flora of Iran. Charyophyllaceae. Institute of Forests and Rangelands Press, Tehran, Iran, Publication, No. 168, 987 pp.
Bojňanský, V. and Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of seeds and fruits of central and East-European flora: the Carpathian Mountains region. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1046 pp.
Ghahraman, A. Flore of Iran. Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands with University of Tehran Publication. https://floraofiran.net/index.php.
Mozaffarian, V. 2012. A Pictorial Dictionary of Botany. Farhange Moaser publisher, 1088 pp.
Mozaffarian, V.A. 1998. Dictionary of Iranian Plants Names. Moaser Publisher, Tehran Farhang, 671 pp.
Rechinger, K.H. 1970. Flora Iranica. A kadem ische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt. No. 136, 528 pp.
