Spergularia media var. media

Illustrator: Barbara Alongi

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Plants annual or short-lived perennial with branching caudex, stout, 7–30 cm, glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular distally. Taproots slender to moderately stout. Stems erect to ascending or prostrate, much-branched proximally; main stem 1–4 mm diam. proximally. Leaves: stipules inconspicuous, dull white, broadly triangular, 2.6–6 mm, apex acuminate to spine-tipped; blade linear to broadly so, 0.5–3.5 cm, distinctly fleshy, apex apiculate to spine-tipped; axillary leaf clusters mostly absent, sometimes of 2–4 leaves. Cymes simple or 3+-compound. Pedicels reflexed and oriented to 1 side in fruit. Flowers: sepals connate 0.3–1 mm proximally, lobes often 3-veined, lanceolate to ovate, 2.5–5 mm, to 7 mm in fruit, margins 0.1–0.5 mm wide, apex obtuse to rounded; petals white to apically pink, elliptic to obovate, 0.8–1 times as long as sepals; stamens 9–10; styles 0.5–1 mm. Capsules tan, (4.5–)5.5–7(–8) mm, 1.2–1.4 times as long as sepals. Seeds dark reddish brown, submarginal groove absent, broadly ovate, compressed, 0.8–1.1 mm, ± smooth, not papillate; wings usually present, white to reddish brown, 0.3–0.5 mm wide, margins irregular. 2n = 18, 36? (both Europe).

Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Salt flats, salt marshes, sandy beaches, saline highway edges (Great Lakes region)
Elevation: 0-1700 m

Distribution

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Ont., Que., Calif., Colo., Ill., Ind., Mass., Mich., Mont., N.Mex., N.Y., N.Dak., Ohio, Oreg., Pa., Utah, Wyo., coastal Europe except ne, Asia, Africa (Mediterranean region), introduced widely elsewhere including South America, e Asia, Australia.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.