Jepson Herbarium
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Annual to perennial herb; rarely dioecious (Silene), taprooted or rhizome generally slender.
Leaf: simple, generally opposite (subwhorled), entire, pairs at nodes often ± connected at bases; stipules generally 0; petiole generally 0.
Inflorescence: generally cyme, generally open; flowers 1–many; involucre generally 0 (present in Dianthus, Petrorhagia).
Flower: generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium often present but obscure; sepals (4)5, ± free or fused into a tube, margins generally scarious, more so on inner 2 or not, tube generally not scarious, awns generally 0; petals (4)5 or 0, generally tapered to base (or with claw long, limb expanded), entire to 2–several-lobed, limb generally without scale-like appendages adaxially, generally without ear-like lobes at base; stamens generally 10, generally fertile, generally free, generally from ovary base; nectaries 0 or 5; ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, placentas basal or free-central, styles 2–5 with 0 branches or 1 with 2–3 branches.
Fruit: capsule or utricle (rarely ± dehiscent), generally sessile.
Seed: appendage generally 0 (present in Moehringia).
83 or 89 genera, 3000 species: widespread, especially arctic, alpine, temperate n hemisphere; some cultivated (Agrostemma, Arenaria, Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Sagina, Saponaria, Silene, Vaccaria). [Rabeler & Hartman 2005 FNANM 5:3–215] Apetalous Caryophyllaceae can also be keyed in Rabeler & Hartman 2005 FNANM 5:5–8. —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Caryophyllaceae

Annual, perennial herb, erect to mat-forming, taprooted.
Leaf: not congested at base of flowering stems; blades narrowly lanceolate to ovate; veins 1–5.
Inflorescence: terminal or axillary; flowers 1–many; peduncles, pedicels 1–50 mm.
Flower: sepals 5, ± free, 1.5–4 mm, ± lanceolate to widely ovate, glabrous to glandular-hairy; petals 0 or 5, 1.5–6 mm, entire; stamens 10; styles 3, 0.5–2 mm.
Fruit: capsule, ovoid to urn-shaped; teeth 6, ascending to recurved.
Seed: 8–20, gray- or dark brown.
210 species: n temperate, especially mtns, South America, Eurasia. (Latin: sand, a common habitat) [Hartman, Rabeler, & Utech 2005 FNANM 5:51–56] Based in part on molecular evidence, most taxa moved to Eremogone.
Unabridged references: [McNeill 1980 Rhodora 82:495–502; Hartman, Rabeler, & Utech 2005 FNANM 5:51–56]
Unabridged note: Based in part on molecular evidence, taxa in 2 of McNeill's subgenera here included in Eremogone.

Annual, tufted or stems trailing, green.
Stem: 3–25 cm, dull; hairs minute, down-curved.
Leaf: 2–7 mm, 1–4 mm wide, ± ovate, acute to acuminate; veins generally 3–5.
Inflorescence: terminal; flowers few to many; pedicels 1–12 mm.
Flower: sepals 2.5–3 mm, in fruit < 4 mm, narrowly acute to acuminate; petals 0.6–2.7 mm.
Seed: 10–15, 0.5–0.6 mm, widely reniform, plump, ± gray; tubercles low, elongate.
2n=40. Disturbed areas, sand, gravel bars, dry woodland; 150–1800 m. Northwestern California, n&c Sierra Nevada Foothills, South Coast, Modoc Plateau;

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.