Lychnis viscaria, SE: Tjärblomster, DE: Gewöhnliche Pechnelke,
NL: Rode pekanjer, UK: Sticky catchfly

Scientific name:  Lychnis viscaria L.
Synonym name:  Silene viscaria (L.) Borkh.
Swedish name:  Tjärblomster
German name:  Gewöhnliche Pechnelke
Nederlandse naam:  Rode pekanjer
English name:  Sticky catchfly
Plant Family:  Caryophyllaceae, Pink family, Nejlikväxter

Bloemen in Zweden - Vilda blommor i Sverige

Life form:  Perennial
Stems:  Erect, unbranched, glabrous, underside of joints sticky and dark reddish brown
Leaves:  Rosette of long, lance-shaped, dark green leaves
Flowers:  Purple, pink, tubular, star-like flowers
Flowering Period:  May, June
Fruits:  5-valved, 6–9 mm long capsule
Habitat:  Bogs, marshes, pastures and meadows

Sweden, Ragunda Kommun, Wild Flowers


Derivation of the botanical name:
Lychnis, Greek lychnos, a lamp; in allution to the flame-colored flowers.
viscaria , viscum, birdlime: a sticky substance used to catch birds and made from mistletoe or holly; arius, adjective suffix for nouns or numbers: connected to or possessed by; sticky
Silene, probably from Greek sialon, "saliva," referring to gummy exudation on stems, and/or named for Silenus, intoxicated foster-father of Bacchus (god of wine) who was covered with foam, much like the glandular secretions of many species of this genus.
  • The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.
  • The standard author abbreviation Borkh. is used to indicate Moritz (Moriz) Balthasar Borkhausen (1760-1806), a German naturalist.