Boreal Carnation

Dianthus repens var. scabripilosus Y. Z. Zhao (Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Intramong. 20(1): 110. 1989) was described from Nei Mongol. It differs only in having pilose, scabrid stems.

Plants cespitose, matted. Stems erect, simple, 5-17(-25) cm, glabrous. Leaves: sheath 1-2 mm, 1-2 times as long as stem diam.; blade lance-linear to oblong or linear, 1-4.5 cm, green, margins glabrous. Inflorescences open, 2-4-flowered cymes, or usually flowers solitary; bracts absent; bracteoles 2 (or 4), green or reddish, lanceolate, ca. 1/ 3/ 4 times as long as calyx, herbaceous, apex acuminate. Pedicels 4-12 mm. Flowers: calyx (45-)50-60-veined, 10-14 mm, glabrous, lobes triangular, 2-4 mm; petals pink to pink-purple, bearded or not, 7-13 mm, apex dentate. Capsules 12-17 mm, exceeding calyx. Seeds 1.2-2 mm. 2n = 30, 60 (Asia).

Herbs perennial, to 30 cm tall, glabrous, rarely stems pilose and scabrid. Stems numerous, densely caespitose. Leaves pendent, linear-lanceolate, 3--5 cm × 2--3 mm, soft, midvein prominent, base attenuate, apex acuminate. Flowers 1 or 2, terminal, 2--2.5 cm in diam.; bracts 2(or 4), ovate, slightly shorter than or subequaling calyx, apex subulate. Calyx sometimes purplish, cylindric, 1.2--1.4 cm × ca. 4 mm; teeth lanceolate, margin membranous, ciliate, apex sharply pointed. Petal claw 1.4--1.5 cm; limb purple-red, obovate-cuneate, 1.2--1.3 cm × 8--9 mm, adaxially shortly hairy, base dark purple ringed, caespitose long pilose, apex toothed. Gynophore ca. 1 mm. Capsule not seen. Fl. Jul--Aug.

Yukon; Alaska; Asia (China, Russian Far East).

Flowering summer.

Rock outcrops, talus slopes; 10-1400m.

Meadows at forest margins, mountain slopes, river banks, steppes. Nei Mongol [Russia (Far East, Siberia); North America].

Dianthus chinensis Linnaeus subsp. repens (Willdenow) Voroschilov.