Formerly a common weed of grain fields, Agrostemma githago is becoming increasingly scarce, both in North America and in its native environs in Europe (R. Svensson and M. Wigren 1986). Mechanical screening of grain, which removes contaminants, and modern herbicides have more or less eliminated the plant from grain fields in the flora. The saponin-containing seeds, occurring as contaminants in grain, are poisonous to livestock, birds, and humans. This species is sometimes cultivated in flower gardens.
Stem to 1 m, thinly hairy; lvs linear or lanceolate, 8-12 cm נ5-10 mm; fls reddish, solitary at the ends of the branches, on pedicels to 2 dm; cal-tube 12-18 mm, elliptic-ovoid, the lobes 2-4 cm, lance-linear, acute or acuminate; pet 2-3 cm, oblanceolate, retuse; fr 14-18 mm; 2n=48. Native of Europe, widely established as a weed of grainfields and waste places, most abundant in the n. part of our range. July-Sept.
Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.