30/08/2012 Update: name and Family: Caryophyllaceae
I never knew that there was such a thing as a wild carnation and being in a new area, I was excited to find some.
These are growing in a bush area which is mostly grassland and the soil is very poor. The area was a river bed a few millennium ago and does not contain soil. The same as you would find in a child’s sandpit.
These are thriving and as you can see by the pictures, the stems and leaves are very much the same as those we have cultivated and in our gardens, however the flower is very different and the calyx very elongated.
I have only seen them in white and as they seem to grow in patches, they make a lovely show against the wild grass.
If anyone knows the proper name for them or has more information, I would be pleased if you let me know.
