Royal Catchfly
EntdeckenPflanzen
Royal Catchfly
silene regia
The Royal Catchfly (Silene regia) is a striking perennial wildflower native to the tallgrass prairies and open woodlands of the central United States. Renowned for its brilliant, fire-engine red flowers, this rare plant stands like a vibrant beacon in the mid-to-late summer landscape, capturing the attention of both nature lovers and pollinators alike. It is famously adapted for pollination by the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, whose long beak can easily reach the nectar hidden deep within the slender, tubular blossoms. Despite its beauty, it is a plant of conservation concern due to the widespread loss of its native prairie habitats, making it a highly prized sighting for plant enthusiasts. Its common name 'catchfly' comes from the sticky, glandular hairs covering its calyx and stems, which act as a defense mechanism by trapping small, non-pollinating insects. Today, it is increasingly cultivated in native plant gardens and prairie restoration projects to support local biodiversity.
Lebensraum: Typically found in high-quality tallgrass prairies, open oak savannas, rocky barrens, and roadside remnants.
Aussehen
Royal Catchfly is a tall, erect perennial growing between 60 to 150 centimeters high, featuring simple, lance-shaped opposite leaves arranged along sturdy, sticky stems. The most defining feature is the clusters of intense scarlet-red flowers at the top. Each flower has five distinct, spreading petals that form a star shape, flaring out from a long, tubular green calyx. The calyx and upper stems are covered in sticky, glandular hairs that give the plant a slightly fuzzy, glistening appearance.
ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungCaryophyllalesFamilieCaryophyllaceaeGattungSilene
Kategorie
PflanzenSeltenheit
Common
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Snaps
Mach den ersten Snap!
Interessante Fakten
Its common name 'catchfly' refers to the sticky, glue-like secretion on its calyx that traps small, crawling insects, preventing nectar theft by non-pollinators.
The seeds of the Royal Catchfly require a cold, moist stratification period of 60 to 90 days of winter temperatures before they are able to germinate in the spring.
Unlike most red wildflowers which are odorless, Royal Catchfly relies entirely on its vivid scarlet color to guide hummingbirds, which have excellent color vision but a poor sense of smell.
Besondere Fähigkeiten
Fähigkeit
Sticky Insect Traps
Glandular hairs on the calyx and stems secrete a sticky substance that traps crawling insects, preventing them from stealing nectar.
Fähigkeit
Hummingbird Co-evolution
Brilliant scarlet petals and tubular structures are evolutionary adaptations designed specifically to attract and fit hummingbird pollinators.
Fähigkeit
Deep Taproot System
A deep taproot allows the plant to access deep water reserves during severe prairie droughts and survive seasonal fires.
Maße und Details
- Länge
- 60-150 cm
- Lebenserwartung
- 3-10 Jahre
Ernährung und Fütterung
As a photosynthetic plant, the Royal Catchfly produces its own energy using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential soil minerals.
Hauptnahrung
- Sunlight
- Water
- Carbon dioxide
- Soil nutrients
Ökologische Zusammenhänge
mutualism
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
The primary pollinator of the Royal Catchfly, drawn to the deep red tubular flowers.
mutualism
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
An occasional butterfly pollinator that extracts nectar from the star-shaped blossoms.
eaten by
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
A native bird species that occasionally feeds on the small seeds produced in the fall.
Merkmale
Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.
Auch bekannt als
Noch keine Alternativnamen vorhanden.
Sammlungen
Sammlungen für dieses Objekt erscheinen hier, wenn weitere Themen hinzugefügt werden.
Sicherheit
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Wie identifiziert man Royal Catchfly?
Der einfachste Weg, Royal Catchfly zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.
Was ist der/die/das länge von Royal Catchfly?
60-150 cm
Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Royal Catchfly?
3-10 Jahre
Was frisst Royal Catchfly?
As a photosynthetic plant, the Royal Catchfly produces its own energy using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential soil minerals.
Wo findet man Royal Catchfly normalerweise?
Typically found in high-quality tallgrass prairies, open oak savannas, rocky barrens, and roadside remnants.
Snap-Karte
Zoome hinein, um Cluster aufzulösen und zu sehen, wo dieses Objekt fotografiert wurde.
Karte wird geladen…
Neueste Snaps
Neueste Snaps erscheinen hier, wenn neue Beobachtungen hinzukommen.
