Click for help
Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
Copy a link to this page Cite this record

Dianthus L.

DIANTHUS L.

Perennial or sometimes annual herbs. Hairs eglandular or glandular, or 0. Lvs opposite, exstipulate, usually linear or linear-lanceolate, often glaucous; cauline lvs connate in pairs. Fls solitary or in lax to compact cymes; bracts leaflike; base of calyx tightly enclosed in an epicalyx of 2-6 awned scales. Calyx tubular, usually at least 35-ribbed, 5-toothed, with green commissures. Petals 5, white, pink or red, clawed, usually toothed or fringed, often bearded; coronal scales 0. Stamens 10, in 2 equal or unequal whorls. Styles 2. Fr. a cylindric capsule dehiscing by 4 teeth; carpophore usually present. Seeds flattened, scutate, finely grooved, not winged.

Key

1
Fls clustered in heads of (2)-5-30 or more; pedicels < calyx; epicalyx = calyx
2
Fls solitary or in lax infls; pedicels > or = calyx; epicalyx up to c. 1/2 length of calyx
3
2
Lvs dark green, < 7 mm wide; lvs and calyx glabrous or with soft hairs at least 0.3 mm long; fls in clusters of 2-5-(10)
1. *armeria
Lvs bright green, > 10 mm wide; lvs and calyx glabrous except for short cilia c. 0.1 mm long on margin; fls in clusters of 15-30 or more
2. *barbatus
3
Stems and calyx clothed in very short stiff hairs; basal lvs < 2.5 cm long, obtuse, soft; seeds c. 1.5 mm long, ovate
3. *deltoides
Stems glabrous; calyx ciliate on margins; basal lvs usually > 3 cm long, acute, stiff; seeds c. 3 mm long, orbicular
4. *plumarius

270 spp., Europe, Asia, Africa and N. America. Naturalised spp. 4.

The genus includes pinks (D. plumarius, D. deltoides and various hybrids), carnations (D. caryophyllus and hybrids) and sweet William (D. barbatus). Wild N.Z. plants of D. barbatus, D. deltoides and D. plumarius have originated from selected horticultural cvs and may therefore differ slightly in some respects from the wild spp. in Europe.

Click to go back to the top of the page
Top