Saponaria officinalis L.

Rhizomatous and stoloniferous perennial. Flowering stems stout, erect, glabrous or sparsely minutely papillate, 30–90 cm tall. Lvs ovate to narrowly elliptic, tapering to short petiole, becoming sessile above, prominently 3-veined, acute, glabrous or upper lvs scabrid on margins, 4–10 × 1.5–3 cm. Infl. a dense terminal cyme with lower branches bearing few-flowered dichasia; bracts linear-lanceolate, scabrid on margins, 1–2 cm long. Pedicels 3–5 mm long. Calyx cylindric or slightly inflated, (15)–18–23 mm long, glabrous or hairy; teeth broadly triangular, acute. Petals pink; claw > calyx; limb spreading, entire or emarginate, c. 1 cm long; coronal scales paired at base of limb, small, triangular. Capsule = calyx, oblong-ovoid, but often not formed; carpophore 2–3 mm long. Seeds blackish, c. 1.8 mm long.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jan.–Feb.– (May)