Rock sandwort
Minuartia michauxii (Fenzel) Farw. var. texana (B.L. Robinson) Mattf.
[=Arenaria stricta Michx. subsp. texana (B.L. Robinson) Maguire ]
Images
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Morphology
- Stem
- Decumbent to erect, numerous, slender, branched from leafy bases, glabrous.
- Leaves
- Opposite, simple, sessile, awl-shaped, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, about .02 inch wide, stiff, needle-like; margins entire; tips tapering to points; often crowded on lower 1/2 of stems; conspicuous clusters of small secondary leaves in axils.
- Inflorescence
- Cymes, loose, open, 1- to many-flowered.
- Flower
- About 1/3 inch wide, stalked; sepals lanceolate, strongly 3-5 ribbed; margins rough; tips pointed; petals 5, spatula-shaped to oblong, white, about 1/4 inch long; stamens 10; styles 3.
- Fruit
- Capsules, egg-shaped, 3-valved; seeds round, plump, brownish black.
Ecology
- Habitat
- Dry, open rocky or gravelly sites, most abundant in limestone soils.
- Distribution
- West 1/2 of Kansas.
Additional Notes
Comments
Rock sandwort will not transplant easily. The long, stout taproot does poorly when disturbed.
Synonyms
Alternative scientific names that have been used for this plant.
Scientific Name: Arenaria stricta
Full Citation: Arenaria stricta Michx.
Subspecies/Varieties:
- subsp. texana Maguire
Quick Facts
- Plant Type
- Wildflower
- Family
- Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family
- Life Span
- Perennial
- Height
- 3-8 inches
- Last Updated
- 2007-09-25
Color Groups
Flowering Period
Blooms: May, June