Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Spalding's Catchfly (Silene spaldingii)

Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae

Listing Status:   

General Information

Spalding’s catchfly (silene spaldingii) is a long-lived perennial in the carnation or pink family, emerging in spring and dying back to below ground level in the fall. Plants range from 8 to 24 inches in height, occasionally up to 30 inches tall. There is generally one distinctively yellow-green stem per plant, but sometimes there may be multiple stems. Each stem bears four to seven (up to 12 or more) pairs of leaves that are 2 to 3 inches in length, and has swollen nodes where the leaves are attached to the stem. All green portions of the plant are covered in dense sticky hairs that frequently trap dust and insects, hence the common name “catchfly.” The plant’s long taproot makes transplanting the species difficult at best, and perhaps impossible. The plant blooms from mid-July through August, but it can bloom into September. The plant may remain dormant for 3 (and up to 6) consecutive years without emerging above ground. The species, listed as threatened in 2001, is native to portions of Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, Canada, and is found predominantly in bunchgrass grasslands and sagebrush-steppe habitats, and occasionally in open pine habitats. Occupied habitat includes five physiographic (physical geographic) regions: the Palouse Grasslands in west-central Idaho and southeastern Washington; the Channeled Scablands in eastern Washington; the Blue Mountain Basins in northeastern Oregon; the Canyon Grasslands of the Snake River and its tributaries in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington; and the Intermontane Valleys of northwestern Montana. A final recovery plan for this plant was released October 15, 2007. The goal of the recovery plan for Spalding’s catchfly is to recover the plant by protecting and maintaining reproducing, self-sustaining populations so that protection under the Endangered Species Act is longer necessary. States in which Silene spaldingii is known to occur: Currently known from Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington (British Columbia in Canada). Countries in which Silene spaldingii is known to occur: Canada, United States.

Lead Region:  Pacific Region (Region 1)
Date Listed: Oct 10, 2001

  • States/US Territories in which the Spalding's Catchfly is known to occur:  Idaho , Montana , Oregon , Washington
  • US Counties in which the Spalding's Catchfly is known to occur:  View All

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 15 : view all)
Date Citation Page Title
04/29/2008 73 FR 23264 23266 Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews for 70 Species in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and the Pacific Islands
10/12/2007 72 FR 58111 58112 Recovery Plan for Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly)
03/16/2006 71 FR 13625 13626 Notice of Availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly)
10/30/2001 66 FR 54807 54832 ETWP; Review of Plant and Animal Species That Are Candidates or Proposed for Listing as Endangered or Threatened,Annual Notice of Findings on Recycled Petitions, and Annual Description of Progress on Listing Actions; Proposed Rule
10/10/2001 66 FR 51597 51606 ETWP; Final Rule To List Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly) as Threatened

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
10/12/2007 Spalding's Catchfly Final Recovery Plan View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 3 of 3 )
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
04/29/2008 73 FR 23264 23266 Initiation of 5-Year Status Reviews for 70 Species in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and the Pacific Islands
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • 10/12/2007 72 FR 58111 58112 Recovery Plan for Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly)
  • Notice Final Recovery Plan Availability
    • 03/16/2006 71 FR 13625 13626 Notice of Availability of the Draft Recovery Plan for Silene spaldingii (Spalding's Catchfly)
  • Notice Draft Recovery Plan Availability
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    01/30/2009 Spalding's catchfly completed 5 yr Review

    » Critical Habitat

    No critical habitat rules have been published for the Spalding's Catchfly.

    » Conservation Plans

    No conservation plans have been created for Spalding's Catchfly

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 2 of 2 )
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    12/03/1999 64 FR 67814 67821 ETWP; Proposed Threatened Status for the Plant Silene spaldingii (Spalding's catchfly)
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted
  • Proposed Listing, Threatened
    • 11/16/1998 63 FR 63661 63662 ETWP; 90-Day Finding for a Petition to List Silene spaldingii (Spalding's catchfly) as Endangered or Threatened
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: February 9, 2010