TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

CARYOPHYLLACEAE

PINK FAMILY

Ronald L. Hartman (except Silene)

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 ).

SPERGULARIA

SAND-SPURREY

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]

Introduced

S. villosa (Pers.) Cambess.

Plant strongly perennial herb, stout
Stem: lower main 0.5–2 mm diam
Leaf ± not fleshy, 2–4+ per axillary cluster; stipules 3–8 mm, lanceolate, dull white, ± conspicuous, tip acuminate
Inflorescence 1–3+ X compound, glandular-hairy
Flower: sepals fused 0.5–0.7 mm, lobes 2.5–4 mm, < 5 mm in fruit; petals white; stamens 7–10; styles 0.4–0.6 mm
Fruit (4)5–6.5 mm, 1.1–1.3 X calyx
Seed 0.4–0.5 mm, reddish to dark brown, often winged; surface smooth or minutely roughened, sometimes glandular-hairy
Ecology: Sandy slopes and bluffs, clay ridges and plains, disturbed areas
Elevation: < 450 m.
Bioregional distribution: Outer North Coast Ranges, n Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sacramento Valley, Central Coast, Inner South Coast Ranges, s Channel Islands
Distribution outside California: Baja California; native to s S.America