Silene unidentified

Small-flowered catchfly                                                                                           Σιλινή


Caryophyllaceae - the Pink Family.                                                                  Dicot

 
 

This dainty little blue Pink , was found in the hay field. The genus, Silene, is named after the Titan moon goddess, Selene ( See below). The flowers have an ovoid calyx marked with purple lines from which the five petals spill out. The pale blue petals have tooth like projections at the throat. The flowers are arranged in a loose spike in the axils of upper leaves,

The lower leaves are obovate and upper lanceolate, the whole plant is hairy.

I have been unable to identify this silene, all the descriptions of this genus describe the flowers as pink or white. Perhaps the blue colour reflects the pH of the soil.

Silene unknown - the petals appear to spill out of the vase like calyx.

Selene



Daughter of Hyperion, the Titan god of light and Theia, goddess of sight, the beautiful Selene was sister to Helios, the god of the sun and Eos, the rosy fingered dawn. With long wings and golden diadem, Selene rode a chariot drawn by oxen across the night sky.

Selene fell in love with the beautiful shepherd prince Endymion and at her request Zeus granted him immortality and eternal youth but also condemned him to eternal slumber. Selene visited him every night in a on Mount Latmos.


Selene was not the only goddess of the moon Hera and Artemis, among others were also given this accolade.

Scilla hyacinthoides
Large scillaScilla_hyacinthoides.html
10mm,
10mm ,30cm                                                JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC