| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual, biennial, perennial herb, rarely dioecious, taprooted or rhizome generally slender
Leaves simple, generally opposite; stipules generally 0; petiole generally 0; blade entire, sheath generally 0
Inflorescence: cyme, generally open; flowers few–many or flower solitary and axillary; involucre generally 0
Flower generally bisexual, radial; hypanthium sometimes present; sepals generally 5, ± free or fused into a tube, tube generally herbaceous between lobes or teeth; awns generally 0; petals generally 5 or 0, generally tapered to base (or with claw long, blade expanded), entire to 2–several-lobed, blade generally without scale-like appendages (inner surface), generally without ear-like lobes at base; stamens generally 10, generally fertile, generally free, generally from ovary base; nectaries generally 0; ovary superior, generally 1-chambered, placentas basal or free-central, styles 2–5 or 1 and 2–3-branched
Fruit: capsule or utricle (rarely modified, dehiscent), generally sessile
Seeds: appendage generally 0
Genera in family: 85 genera, 2400 species: widespread, especially arctic, alpine, temp, n hemisphere; some cultivated (Agrostemma, Arenaria, Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Saponaria, Silene, Vaccaria ).
Annual, perennial herb, erect or ± prostrate, taprooted
Leaf: stipules 1–6 mm, lanceolate to ovate, scarious, ± entire, white; blade elliptic to oblanceolate; vein ± 1
Inflorescence: clusters axillary; flowers 1–12 per cluster, dense; pedicels 0–2 mm
Flower: hypanthium cup-shaped; calyx sometimes abruptly expanded above; sepals 5, free, 0.7–4.4 mm (except awn), lanceolate to ovate, ± hairy, margin narrow, white, scarious; awn thread-like to stiff, wavy to stiff; petals 0; fertile stamens 5, sterile stamens 0 or 5, 0.5–1 mm, thread-like, arising from hypanthium rim; styles 2 or 2-branched in upper 1/2, 0.2–0.5 mm
Fruit: utricle, ovoid to spheric
Seed 1, brown
Species in genus: 50 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Greek: inflammation of finger, especially beneath nail [whitlow], from ailment the plant was believed to cure)
Reference: [Chaudhri 1968 Meded Bot Mus Herb Rijks Univ Utrecht 285:64–297]
| Native |
Annual, inconspicuous, ± spheric; taproot < 1 mm diam
Stem ± erect, 0.5–2 cm, ± concealed by leaves
Leaf: stipules 3–6 mm; blade 2–7.5 mm, ± narrowly oblanceolate, smooth, green; tip a bristle; margin and midrib scabrous
Flower 1, axillary, 4.2–5 mm, ± moderately hairy in lower 1/2; hairs 0.3–0.6 mm, tightly coiled; sepals 3.8–4.4 mm (except awn), ± lanceolate, tip erect, 1–1.5 mm, margin 0.5–1 mm wide, awned from back, awn 1–1.5 mm, thread-like, wavy, ± spreading; sterile stamens ± 1 mm
Seed ± 1 mm, lenticular
Ecology: Well-drained, rocky outcrops, often vernal pool edges, volcanic uplands
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: Cascade Range Foothills, Sacramento Valley.