General:
Perennial herb from a branched stem-base; stems ascending to erect, usually several, usually simple, finely white-hairy below, becoming glandular above, 20-60 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves in tufts, narrowly oblanceolate, glabrous to nearly glabrous, 2-4 cm long, 1.5-4 mm wide, narrowed to slender stalks; stem leaves opposite, usually 2-3 (4) pairs, somewhat narrower than the basal leaves, hairy with multicellular hairs, unstalked; stipules lacking.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of usually solitary, erect flowers, nodding in the bud, usually perfect; petals 5, purplish or rarely pinkish, stalked, the stalks about equalling or exceeded by the calyces, flared above and usually flanged at the bases, the blades generally narrower than the stalks, 3-4 mm long, 2-cleft; sepals 5, united, forming a tube about 1 cm long at flowering time, considerably inflated and up to 17 mm long in fruit, prominently 10-nerved, glandular-hairy.

Fruits:
Capsules 1.2-2.2 cm long, 5-valved; seeds 1.5-2.5 mm long, prominently wrinkled-pimply in concentric rows, usually more or less flattened and wing-margined.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Lychnis apetala subsp. attenuata
Lychnis apetala var. attenuata
Lychnis attenuata Farr
Melandrium apetalum subsp. attenuatum (Farr) Hara
Silene attenuata (Farr) Bocquet
Silene wahlbergella subsp. attenuata (Farr) HultTn
Wahlbergella attenuata (Farr) Rydb.