The taxon Silene sect. Rigidulae is a group of annuals that grow in the Mediterranean region and in the Middle East. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS, rps16 and RPB2 sequences show that this group is polyphyletic. Silene cariensis is forming a clade with S. bupleuroides, a perennial usually assigned to section Sclerocalycinae. S. portensis is unresolved within the main Silene clade. The other species fall into four different, well supported clades. The morphologically coherent S. corinthiaca-group is shown to be monophyletic but in close relationship with the non-Rigidulae species S. cretica and S. ungeri, two species usually assigned to section Behenantha. The SW Anatolian S. echinospermoides and the Middle East S. reinwardtii form a strongly supported clade, close to the S. corinthiaca-group. The eastern Mediterranean/Middle East “S. arenosa“-group is supported as monophyletic, but the taxonomy within the group is complicated. A new name is needed for the entity called S. linearis Decne., and neotypification of the name S. arenosa C. Koch is needed. A western Mediterranean group including S. reticulata, S. muscipula and S. inaperta is also found. S. muscipula has previously been assigned to sect. Behenantha, but a derived morphological feature (single coronal scale) shared with S. reticulata can be demonstrated.

Key words: phylogeny, Rigidulae, Silene