| 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, erect to sprawling; taprooted
Leaf: stipules 1–11 mm, lanceolate and acuminate to widely triangular, scarious, ± entire or splitting ± at tip, white to tan; blade thread-like to linear; vein 1
Inflorescence: generally cyme, terminal, few–many-flowered, open to dense; pedicels 0.5–28+ mm
Flower: sepals 5, ± free, 1.5–10 mm, lanceolate to ovate, glabrous to glandular-hairy; petals 5, 0.6–9 mm, entire; stamens 2–10; styles 3, 0.3–1.9 mm
Fruit: capsule, ovoid; valves 3, spreading with tip recurved
Seeds few–many, dark brown, reddish brown, or black
Species in genus: 40 species: worldwide
Etymology: (Latin: derivative of Spergula )
Reference: [Rossbach 1940 Rhodora 42:57–83,105–143,158–193,203–213]
| Native |
Annual, delicate
Stem: lower main 0.6–2 mm
Leaf fleshy; axillary clusters 0; stipules 1.2–3 mm, widely triangular, dull white, inconspicuous, tip ± acute
Inflorescence 1–3+ X compound or flower axillary, solitary; glandular-hairy
Flower: sepals fused 0.5–1 mm, lobes 1.8–4.5 mm, < 4.8 mm in fruit; petals white or pink to rosy; stamens 2–5; styles 0.4–0.6 mm
Fruit 2.8–6.4 mm, 1–1.5 X calyx
Seed 0.5–0.8 mm, light brown to reddish brown, generally wingless; surface smooth or slightly roughened, papillate or not
Chromosomes: 2n=36
Ecology: Mud flats, alkaline fields, sandy river bottoms, sandy coasts, salt marshes
Elevation: < 700 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, c Sierra Nevada Foothills, Great Central Valley, Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast, Channel Islands, Peninsular Ranges, Desert
Distribution outside California: to Washington, e US, S.America; Eurasia
Flowering time: Mar–Sep
Synonyms: var. tenuis (Greene) R. Rossbach
S. salina J. Presl & C. Presl may prove to be the correct name for this sp.