Caryophyllaceae FAMILY Least Concern

Silene vulgaris

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this species, it does contain saponins. Although poisonous, saponins also have a range of medicinal applications and many saponin-rich plants are used in herbalism (particularly as emetics, expectorants and febrifuges) or as sources of raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. Saponins are also found in a number of common foods, such as many beans. Saponins have a quite bitter flavour and are in general poorly absorbed by the human body, so most pass through without harm. They can be removed by carefully leaching in running water. Thorough cooking, and perhaps changing the cooking water once, will also normally remove most of them. However, it is not advisable to eat large quantities of raw foods that contain saponins. Saponins are much more toxic to many cold-blooded creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish and make them easy to catch[ K Title Plants for a Future Author Ken Fern Description Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips. ].

Botanical Description

Silene vulgaris is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a dense cluster of stems from woody rhizomes; it can grow up to 80cm tall[ 1187 Title Mediterranean Wild Edible Plants - Ethnobotany and Food Composition Tables Publication Author María de Cortes Sánchez-Mata; Javier Tardío (Editors) Publisher Springer; New York Year 2016 ISBN 978-1-4939-3327-3 Description ]. The plant is a commonly used wild food, especially in the Mediterranean, and has at times been suggested for cultivation. It also has a range of medicinal uses and has sometimes been grown as an ornamental. Silene vulgaris is a widespread species that is often common where it occurs with a population that appears to be stable at most of the sites. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2015)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeMost of Europe, including Britain, to N. Africa and temperate Asia.

HabitatA wide range of habitats including sandy and stony pastures, meadows, yards, cultivated lawns, banks, roadsides, rocky cliffs, scrub, woodland clearings, uncultivated fields, wasteland, seashores, cracks in rocks, woodland and Mediterranean forest[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].