Spergularia macrotheca
Encyclopedia
Spergularia macrotheca is a species of flowering plant in the pink family
known by the common name sticky sandspurry. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to Baja California
, where it grows in many types of moist coastal and inland habitat, often in alkaline and saline substrates. It may be found in marsh
es, alkali flats
, beaches, meadows, seep
s, and vernal pool
s. It is a perennial herb producing a narrow stem up to 40 centimeters long with a woody, thickened base and taproot
. They may grow erect or prostrate across the ground. It is covered in sticky glandular hairs, especially in the inflorescence
. The stems are lined with fleshy linear leaves, sometimes tipped with spines. The leaves are accompanied by triangular stipule
s up to a centimeter long each. Flowers occur in clusters at the end of the stem as well as in leaf axils. The small flowers have five pointed sepal
s and five oval white to lavender-pink petals. The fruit is a capsule containing tiny reddish brown, winged seeds.
Caryophyllaceae
The Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae and Polygonaceae...
known by the common name sticky sandspurry. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in many types of moist coastal and inland habitat, often in alkaline and saline substrates. It may be found in marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es, alkali flats
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
, beaches, meadows, seep
Seep
A petroleum seep is a place where natural liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons escape to the earth's atmosphere and surface, normally under low pressure or flow. Seeps generally occur above either terrestrial or offshore petroleum accumulation structures...
s, and vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s. It is a perennial herb producing a narrow stem up to 40 centimeters long with a woody, thickened base and taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. They may grow erect or prostrate across the ground. It is covered in sticky glandular hairs, especially in the inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
. The stems are lined with fleshy linear leaves, sometimes tipped with spines. The leaves are accompanied by triangular stipule
Stipule
In botany, stipule is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk...
s up to a centimeter long each. Flowers occur in clusters at the end of the stem as well as in leaf axils. The small flowers have five pointed sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s and five oval white to lavender-pink petals. The fruit is a capsule containing tiny reddish brown, winged seeds.