Thyme-leaf sandwort
Arenaria serpyllifolia Michx.
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Decumbent to ascending or erect, minutely pubescent.
- Leaves
- Basal and cauline, opposite, simple; petiole present in proximal leaves, absent in distal leaves; blade ovate to elliptic, .08 to .28 inch long, .04 to .16 inch wide, base rounded or clasping, apex acute to acuminate, margins entire, surfaces glabrous or puberulent and often pustulate.
- Inflorescence
- Cymes, terminal. Pedicels ascending to erect, .04 to .5 inch.
- Flower
- Bisexual; sepals 5, distinct, ovate to lanceolate; petals 5, white, oblong, .02 to .1 inch, apex rounded; stamens 10; styles 3.
- Fruit
- Capsules, ovoid to cylindric-ovoid, .12 to .16 inch, dehiscent apically by 6 teeth. Seeds 1-many, dark brown or black, reniform or suborbicular, ca. .02 inch, tuberculate.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Lawns, pastures, disturbed areas, waste places
- Distribution
- Occurs statewide
Additional Notes
Comments
Arenaria, sand, in which many of the species grow and serpyllifolia, Thymus serphylum and leaf, alluding to the similarity of the leaves to those of thyme.
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family
- Life Span
- Annual
- Height
- 1.2-16 inches
- Origin
- Introduced
- Last Updated
- 2021-11-07
Color Groups
White, Green & Greenish White Wildflowers
Flowering Period
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Blooms: April, May, June