Dianthus chinensis
Dianthus chinensis L., Sp. Pl. 1: 411. 1753; Fl. China @ eFloras. org 6: 104.
Annual or perennial herb, 30-50 cm tall. Stems laxly caespitose, erect, distally branched, terete, articulated, dilated at nodes, glabrous. Leaves opposite, glaucescent, linear-lanceolate, 3-4(-8.8) cm x 2-4(-7) mm, veins parallel with midvein prominent, base slightly narrowed, margin entire or denticulate, apex acuminate. Flowers solitary or many in cymes; pedicel 0-2 cm long; bracts 4, ovate or ovate-lanceolate: bracts of lower pair 2.5-3.2 cm long, of upper pair adpressed with calyx, 1.5-2.3 cm long, margin membranous, ciliate, apex long acuminate. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous, hypogynous, +/- 2 cm long, 3-4.5 cm across, of various colours. Calyx cylindric, 1.5-2.5 cm x 4-5 mm, striate with 7-11 parallel veins, without commissural nerves, teeth/ lobes 5, lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long, margin hyaline, ciliate, apex sharply pointed. Petals 5, free; claw 1.4-1.8 cm long; limb bright-red, purple-red, pink or white, obovate-triangular, 1.6-1.8 cm long and up to 2.5 cm wide, throat spotted and laxly bearded, apex irregularly toothed. Stamens 10, exserted; 5 stamens opposite petals, 5 stamens alternate with a hyaline flap (1.5 mm x 0.75 mm) projecting downwards; filaments ca. 2 cm long; anthers 1 mm long, uniform, dorsifixed, blue. Ovary ca. 1 cm long suboblong, 1-locular, many ovules, free central placentation; styles 2-3, linear, exserted, +/- 1.5 cm long, glandular hairy, curved at apex. Capsule cylindric, surrounded by calyx, apex 4-toothed. Seeds black, compressed, globose.
Common Names: China Pink, Pink Dianthus, Indian Pink, Chinese Pink, Rainbow Pink
