Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Dianthus
Species: D. armeria
Binomial name: Dianthus armeria
Common names: Deptford Pink, Grass Pink, Mountain pink
Dianthus armeria is a species of Dianthus native to Europe and Asia Minor. It was first grown as an ornamental plant in gardens but it has escaped and has become naturalised in New Zealand where it inhabits wastelands, roadsides, depleted grasslands and riverbeds. Populations are scattered throughout New Zealand except in Taranaki, Wairarapa and Westland.
It is a tufted, herbaceous annual or biennial plant growing to 45 cm tall. It will grow in the worst, leached out soils.
The stems are erect, glabrous, sparingly branched. The nodes are woollen. The leaves are hairy, dark green, slender, up to 7 cm long and 7mm wide and are arranged horizontally in the cross-like formation.
The flowers are about 15 mm diameter, with five bright reddish-pink petals. They are produced in small clusters at the top of the stems from early to late summer. The flowers close up in the afternoon.
Photographed late February in very dry conditions.
The hairy underside of the narrow leaf.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
