Dianthus Deltoides, Maiden Pink

Dianthus deltoides is a European species, introduced to North America, where it is most common in New England, in the northeast; in the west, its scattered locations include north Colorado, northwest Washington and central California.

Leaves are narrow, linear to lanceolate on flowering shoots, more oblanceolate on non-flowering shoots, and a little shorter. Leaf margins are short-ciliate. Leaves have a prominent midvein. Stems are swollen at the leaf nodes.

Flowers are solitary or in small groups, at the stem tips. The narrow, cylindrical, downy calyx is around half an inch long, marked with between 25 and 30 dark green ribs. Calyx lobes are equal in size, tapering to a narrow point. At the base are several bracts, unequal in length, the longest around half as long as the calyx tube. Petals are pink, flecked with white dots, and crossed by a darker pink zig-zag line towards the base. The ten stamens have pale pink filaments and darker pink anthers.