| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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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, tufted to matted, taprooted
Leaf: blade linear to awl-shaped; vein 0–1
Inflorescence: flower solitary, terminal or axillary; pedicels 2–30 mm
Flower: sepals 4–5, free, 1.3–3.5 mm, lanceolate to ovate, glabrous to glandular-hairy; petals 0 or 4–5, 1–3 mm, entire or sometimes notched; stamens 4, 5, 8, or 10; styles 4–5, 0.1–0.6 mm
Fruit: capsule, ovoid; valves 4–5, spreading to recurved
Seeds few–many, brown or reddish brown
Species in genus: 25 species: n temp, tropical mtns
Etymology: (Latin: fattening, once applied to Spergula , used as early forage)
Reference: [Crow 1978 Rhodora 80:1–91]
| Native |
Annual (2)4–16 cm, glabrous or ± glandular-hairy above; sterile basal rosettes 0
Stem thread-like, generally erect or ascending
Leaf not fleshy, glabrous; blade 4–20 mm, narrowly linear
Inflorescence: pedicels 2–14(20) mm, thread-like, generally straight, glabrous or ± glandular-hairy
Flower: sepals generally 5, ± appressed in fruit, 1.7–2.1(2.5) mm, ± glandular-hairy; petals generally 5, ± = sepals; stamens 5 or 10
Fruit 1.2–1.7 X sepals
Seed ± 0.4 mm, obliquely triangular, ± compressed, smooth to slightly roughened, brown; back grooved
Ecology: Dry streams, chaparral, grassy areas, rock outcrops, vernal pools
Elevation: < 2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, n&c Sierra Nevada, Great Central Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast, Channel Islands, Peninsular Ranges
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia
Synonyms: S. occidentalis S. Watson