| Lychnis | |
|---|---|
| Lychnis flos-cuculi (Ragged Robin) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Lychnis L. |
| Species | |
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See text |
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Lychnis ( /ˈlɪknɪs/)[1] is a genus of 15-25 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, native to Europe, Asia and north Africa. The genus is closely related to (and sometimes included in) Silene, differing in the flowers having five styles (three in Silene), the seed capsule having five teeth (six in Silene), and in the sticky stems of Lychnis. Common names include campion (shared with Silene) and catchfly, the latter name based on the sticky stems.
The Lychnis is also the common name of Hadena bicruris, a species of noctuid moth. The larva of this moth feeds on Lychnis species, as do some other Lepidoptera including Cabbage Moth (recorded on L. chalcedonica), Grey Chi and case-bearers of the genus Coleophora including C. albella (feeds exclusively on L. flos-cuculi) and C. leucapennella.