Lychnis coronaria.de.wikipedia.org. (Accessed 4/2014).

Lychnis coronaria is a biennial or short-lived perennial herb 40-80 cm tall, usually with multiple stems from base, all parts softly, densely, white-wooly, usually branched above. 

Leaves opposite, softly, densely white-wooly, basal leaves in a rosette, stalked, 5-10 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, stem leaves stalkless (sessile), 5-10 pairs, smaller. 

Flowers red-purple, showy, petals 5, 2-3 cm long, broad above, narrowed at base (clawed); calyx tube 10-ribbed, alternating ribs wing-like, 1.5 cm long, lobes lance-shaped 0.4-0.7 cm long; stamens 10, short, styles 5, ovary superior; inflorescence widely branched, few-flowered. 

Fruit dry, a capsule, closely surrounded by old calyx, opening at top to release many small seeds (Bailey and Bailey 1976; Yatskievych 2006). 

Wetland status: UPL. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent. 

Origin: S. Europe 

Habitat: Horticultural, rarely escaping.