Sticky Catchfly
Viscaria vulgaris
The sticky secretion on its stem acts as a natural barrier, trapping crawling insects like ants to prevent them from stealing nectar without pollinating the flowers.
- Scientific name
- Viscaria vulgaris
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Caryophyllaceae › Viscaria
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry grasslands, rocky outcrops, cliffs, and open, sunny forest edges.
- Diet
- Photoautotrophic (produces energy from sunlight via photosynthesis).
- Range
- Europe, Siberia, Western Asia, British Isles
- Size
- 30 to 90 cm in height
- Lifespan
- Perennial (typically lives for 3 to 7 years)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Agricultural intensification, loss of dry meadow habitats, and encroachment of invasive scrub shading out the plants.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. You can safely approach and admire this plant closely. Do not pick the flowers, as they are important for local pollinators. The sticky substance on the stem is non-toxic but can feel tacky to the touch; wash hands with soap and water if you make contact.
...
Photo: Kostas Zontanos, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/0e116d81-cf3d-4d4d-84a7-f5d683896472.md