S. prostrata Willd., Enum. PL Berol. 465 (1809). Hedge in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 23:550-555(1961).
  Annual, biennial or perennial, divaricately branched, with decumbent prostrate or ascending branches and a dense indumentum of long, spreading, white hairs (rarely with viscid hairs) Leaves oblong-spathulate or ovate, obtuse, petio-late. Corymbs many-flowered, dense. Pedicels 1-3 mm. Calyx narrowly cylindrical, inflating in fruit, 9-14 mm, with ovate, acute teeth. Petals rose, 11-14 mm, with a distinct lamina which has two narrow coronal scales at the base, and a linear claw. Capsule ovoid, shorter than the calyx, few-seeded. A variable species in which 3 subspecies can be recognised:
1. Perennial with sterile leaf-rosettes subsp. anatolica
1. Annual or biennial without sterile leaf-rosettes
   2. Lower leaves rotund-ovate with a distinct lamina abruptly contracted into petiole subsp. calvertii
   2. Lower leaves oblong-spathulate gradually narrowed into petiole subsp. prostrata
subsp. prostrata. Syn: 5. atocioides Boiss., Diagn. ser. 1(1): 16 (1843). Fl. 4-7. Fields, disturbed habitats, 320-1300 m.
  Type: a cultivated specimen grown at the Berlin Botanic Garden from seed from Galatia, Turkey (B, Hb. Willd.; photo!).
A2 Bilecik: nr. Bilecik station, 320 m, Demiriz 1733! A3 Ankara: Nallihan to Mudurnu, 850 m, D. 37072! A4 Çankiri: Ilgaz to Çankiri, D. 21471! A5 Çorum: 49 km SW of Çorum, 1080 m, Zohary et al. 117622! B2 Kütahya: 18 km N of Kütahya, 900 m, Hub.-Mor. 12327. B3 Afyon: 2 miles S of Emirdağ, 1000 m, Coode & Jones 2298! B4 Ankara: Ankara, 900 m, Balls 2369! B5 Nevsehir: Kir-şehir to Gülşehir, 500 m, McNeill367! B6 Sivas: Şarkişla, 1300 m, Stainton 8465! C4 Konya: Ereğli to Karapinar, 22 km from Ereğli, 870 m, Hub.-Mor. 14667. C5 Niğde: Ulukişla, 1210 m, Balls 1373!
  Endemic. Ir.-Tur. element. A high percentage (c. 50%) of the specimens examined were male-sterile sex forms.
subsp. anatolica Hedge in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 23: 552 (1961). Fl. 4-7. Rocky igneous or shaley slopes, 850-1500 m.
Type: [Turkey B7 Elaziğ] N side of Hazar Göl, igneous slopes, perennial, flowers bright pink, 1300 m, 2 vi 1957, Davis & Hedge, D. 29002 (holo. E! iso. K!).
B6 Maraş/Malatya: Elbistan to Darende, Post 1906: 487! Sivas: Bey Da., S of Zara, 1600 m, Stn. & Hend. 52971 B7 Elaziğ: Harput, Sint. 1889: 532! Erzincan: Kemaliye to Salihli, 1200 m, Hub.-Mor. 9049! Diyarbakır: Ergani to Maden, 850 m, D. 28880! Tunceli: Pülümür, 1550 m, D. 29282!
Endemic. The calyces and flowers are slightly larger in subsp. anatolicum than in the two non-perennial subspecies.
subsp. calvertii (Boiss.) Hedge in Notes R.B.G. Edinb. 23: 553 (1961). Syn: S. atocioides Boiss. var. calvertii Boiss., Diagn. ser. 2(5): 50 (1856)! 5. holopetala
Ledeb., FI. Ross. 1: 301 (1842); 5. prostrata Willd. var. calvertii (Boiss.) Boiss., Fl. Or. 1: 530 (1867)! Fl. 4-7. Disturbed habitats, 1200-1300 m.
Type: [Turkey] in Armenia supra Messire, Huet (holo. G1).
A7 Gümüşane: Gümüşane, 1300 m, Stainton 8371! A8 Gümüşane: nr. Bayburt, Bourgeon 79! Erzurum: Tortum, Attila! A8/9 Çoruh/Kars: between Ardahan and Artvin, 1270 m, Zohary & Plitmann 246926! B8 Erzurum: Erzurum, Calvert.
Transcaucasia. The following specimen is intermediate between subsp. ana-tolica and calvertii: B9 Erzurum: Aşkale, 1950 m, Zohary 671613! The petals in this specimen are larger than normal.