Species: Dianthus chinensis
English Name: Rainbow Pink
Chinese Name: 石竹
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Description:
Herbs annual or perennial, 5-20 cm. Stems not articulated, densely caespitose, diffuse, much branched; leaf axils densely pilose. Leaves alternate; petiole absent; leaf blade terete-linear or subulate-lanceolate, 10-20 × 1-4 mm, apex acute. Flowers more than ca. 2 cm in diam., surrounded by involucre of 6-9 bracts and dense wool. Sepals oblong, apex acute or acuminate. Petals 5, red-purple, broadly obovate, connate at base, apex obtuse or slightly retuse. Stamens 20-30; filaments red, free. Style short; stigma 3-6-lobed. Capsule glossy straw colored apically, cylindric-ovoid, ca. 3 × 2.5 mm. Seeds black, with very slight purplish iridescence when mature, 0.5-0.7 mm; testa cells interlocking, domed to conic-tuberculate. Fl. and fr. May-Aug.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2001). Flora of China, Volume 6: Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis