Silene armeria, commonly known as the
Sweet William Catchfly, is a species of plant in the family
Caryophyllaceae. An annual occurring as a garden escape or
throw-out on rubbish tips and waste places. It is usually
casual, but may persist for a few years in disturbed, open
sites, reproducing by seed.
The name comes from the
way in which small insects are trapped by the sticky sap
exuded onto the stem. However it is not currently regarded as
a carnivorous plant, though it has been identified as a
carnivorous plant in the past.
This particular example
was photographed in a miniature wildflower meadow at Trafalgar
Court, in Fareham. A quiet sheltered residential corner of
town, Trafalgar Court has been an annual entrant of local and
national "In Bloom" competitions, and recently earned a Gold
Award and Best Sheltered Housing Trophy in "Britain in Bloom". |
