Dianthus chinensis
Description
Annual or biennial, glabrous or somewhat hairy herb, with slender stock and roots.
Leaves green (not glaucous), flat, narrowly elliptic with smooth margin, up to 8 by 1 cm, apex acute.
Flowers solitary or few together, not fragrant.
Petals red or white, lamina c. 15 mm, obovate, coarsely dentate to deeply fringed.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa cultivated); Philippines (Philippines cultivated)
The origin of this cultivated species is uncertain. In Malesia cultivated in Java up to 1600 m altitude, often in double-flowered specimens. Also reported by Merrill as occasionally cultivated in the Philippines.
Morphology
A polyploid cultivar probably originating from eastern Asia. There is a great variation in the shape of the petals, particular the lamina, which can be deeply divided and fringed. Dianthus heddewigii was originally introduced to St. Petersburg from Japan. Hybrids with other species, e.g. D. barbatus and D. superbus, are also in cultivation.
Citation
Lu Dequan 1996: p. 414. – In: Fl. Reip. Pop. Sin.: f. 108: 1-6
Backer & Bakh. f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 213
Lu Dequan & N.J. Turland 2001 – In: Fl. China: 104
Roxb. 1832 – In: Fl. Ind., ed. Carey: 446
Backer 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 81
Pham-hoàng Hô 1991: p. 932. – In: Ill. Fl. Vietnam: f. 2619
N.C. Majumdar 1993: p. 528. – In: Fl. India: f. 107
Mizush. 1966: Fl. E. Himal.: 80
Grierson 1987 – In: Fl. Bhutan: 199
Burm. 1763: Fl. Ind.: 105
Edgew. & Hook. f. 1874 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 213