Nottingham Catchfly is a
native
perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in coastal areas and rocky places, to a mature height of up to 60cm.
Nottingham Catchfly is named after the city of Nottingham, as it used to grow on the walls of Nottingham Castle. The plant is a type of Campion (genus Silene) and the name 'Catchfly' is sometimes used as a common name for members of this genus, as they produce sticky secretions on their stems that sometimes ensnare flies. The flowers of Nottingham Catchfly are distinguished by their long tubular calyces and their very deeply-cleft petals, dividing each into two narrow lobes. The flower petals curl backwards, pushing forward the flower's very long stamens for pollination.
Botanic classification and naming: Nottingham Catchfly is a member of the Carnation (Caryophyllaceae) family. The genus name
'Silene' identifies the plant as a Campion and its species name 'nutans' means 'nodding plant'.
Benefits: Produces a fragrance at night to attract moth pollinators.
Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.
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