Jepson Herbarium
The University and Jepson Herbaria
University of California, Berkeley
Jepson eFlora: Taxon page
Vascular Plants of California
Key to families | Table of families and genera
Previous taxon Index to accepted names and synonyms:
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Next taxon

Spergula arvensis

STICKWORT, STARWORT


Higher Taxonomy
Family: CaryophyllaceaeView DescriptionDichotomous Key
Common Name: PINK FAMILY
Habit: 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 most 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).
Genera In Family: +- 100 genera, 3000 species: widespread, especially arctic, alpine, temperate northern hemisphere; some cultivated (Agrostemma, Arenaria, Atocion, Cerastium, Dianthus, Gypsophila, Lychnis, Sagina, Saponaria, Silene). Note: Apetalous Caryophyllaceae can also be keyed in Rabeler & Hartman 2005 FNANM 5:5--8. Taxa of Minuartia in TJM2 treated here in Cherleria and Sabulina; Pseudostellaria in Hartmaniella and Torreyostellaria; Vaccaria in Gypsophila; Velezia in Dianthus.
eFlora Treatment Author: Ronald L. Hartman (deceased) & Richard K. Rabeler, except as noted
Scientific Editor: Bruce G. Baldwin & Thomas J. Rosatti.
Genus: SpergulaView Description 


Common Name: SPURREY
Habit: Annual, ascending to erect, taprooted. Leaf: opposite but appearing whorled due to axillary clusters of 16--30 per node; stipules 1--2 mm, ovate to triangular, entire, scarious, white; vein 1. Inflorescence: terminal; flowers several to many; pedicels 40+ mm. Flower: sepals 5, +- free, 2.5--5 mm, elliptic to +- ovate, glandular-hairy; petals 5, 2.5--4 mm, entire, white; stamens 5 or 10; styles 5, 0.3--0.6 mm. Fruit: capsule, ovoid; valves 5, spreading to +- recurved. Seed: several, +- black.
Etymology: (Latin: to scatter, from sowing seeds for early forage in Eur)
eFlora Treatment Author: Ronald L. Hartman (deceased) & Richard K. Rabeler
Reference: Hartman & Rabeler 2005 FNANM 5:14--16
Spergula arvensis L.
NATURALIZED
Habit: Plant glabrous or generally glandular-hairy. Stem: 10--40+ cm; base +- branched. Leaf: 1--5 cm, +- linear; tip blunt to abruptly pointed; margin often strongly rolled under. Inflorescence: bracts like stipules, often +- purple; pedicels erect to ascending, in fruit spreading to reflexed. Flower: sepals +- acute to rounded, margin widely scarious, ribs often 3, weak; petals ovate, persistent in fruit. Seed: 1--1.5 mm diam, +- spheric, with +- white, club-shaped papillae or minutely roughened. Chromosomes: 2n=18,36.
Ecology: Open slopes, pine woodland, sand dunes, fields, disturbed areas; Elevation: < 200 m. Bioregional Distribution: NCo, NCoRO, n SNH, GV, CW (exc SCoRI), SCo; Distribution Outside California: scattered in North America, native to Europe. Flowering Time: Spring--early summer
Jepson eFlora Author: Ronald L. Hartman (deceased) & Richard K. Rabeler
Reference: Hartman & Rabeler 2005 FNANM 5:14--16
Index of California Plant Names (ICPN; linked via the Jepson Online Interchange)

Previous taxon: Spergula
Next taxon: Spergularia

Botanical illustration including Spergula arvensisbotanical illustration including Spergula arvensis


Please use this Google Form for Contact/Feedback

Citation for this treatment: Ronald L. Hartman (deceased) & Richard K. Rabeler 2012, Spergula arvensis, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=45074, accessed on December 02, 2024.

Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2024, Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/, accessed on December 02, 2024.

Spergula arvensis
click for image enlargement
©2008 Keir Morse
Spergula arvensis
click for image enlargement
©2008 Keir Morse
Spergula arvensis
click for image enlargement
©2014 Neal Kramer
Spergula arvensis
click for image enlargement
©2005 George W. Hartwell
Spergula arvensis
click for image enlargement
©2008 Keir Morse

More photos of Spergula arvensis
in CalPhotos



Geographic subdivisions for Spergula arvensis:
NCo, NCoRO, n SNH, GV, CW (exc SCoRI), SCo
MAP CONTROLS
1. You can change the display of the base map layer control box in the upper right-hand corner.
2. County and Jepson Region polygons can be turned off and on using the check boxes.
map of distribution 1

(Note: any qualifiers in the taxon distribution description, such as 'northern', 'southern', 'adjacent' etc., are not reflected in the map above, and in some cases indication of a taxon in a subdivision is based on a single collection or author-verified occurrence).






 

Data provided by the participants of the  Consortium of California Herbaria.

MAP LEGEND
View all CCH records
All markers link to CCH specimen records. The original determination is shown in the popup window.
Blue markers indicate specimens that map to one of the expected Jepson geographic subdivisions (see left map). Purple markers indicate specimens collected from a garden, greenhouse, or other non-wild location.
Yellow markers indicate records that may provide evidence for eFlora range revision or may have georeferencing or identification issues.
READ ABOUT YELLOW FLAGS

CCH collections by month Flowering-Fruiting Monthly Counts

Duplicates counted once; synonyms included.
Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa, if there are more than 1 infraspecific taxon in CA.
Blue line denotes eFlora flowering time (fruiting time in some monocot genera).