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Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Caryophyllaceae
Spergularia rubra

Citation: J.S. & C. Presl, Fl. Czech. 94 (1819).

Synonymy: Arenaria rubra L., Sp. Pl. 423 (1753); A. rubra L. var. campestris L., Sp. Pl. 423 (1753); A. campestris (L.)Asch., Bot. Zeit. 17:292 (1859); S. rubra (L.)J.S. & C. Presl var. pinguis Fenzl in Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 2:167 (1843); S. pinguis (Fenzl)Rouy & Fouc., Fl. France 3:307 (1896).

Common name: (Red)sand-spurrey.

Description:
Perennial or annual herb with a slender tap root; stems 5-20 cm high, decumbent or semi-erect, more or less glandular-hairy mostly on the upper parts; leaves 3-10 mm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, often fasciculate, scarcely fleshy; stipules 3-7 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, white, membranous.

Inflorescences few-flowered cymes; pedicels 3-10 mm or more long; sepals 3-4 mm long, 1.5-2mm wide, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, with scarious margins; petals pink, as long as or shorter than the sepals, ovate to obovate; stamens 5-10.

Capsules as long as the calyx; seeds wingless, c. 0.5 mm diam., deeply sculptured, swollen along the back, dark-brown.

image of FSA1_Spergularia_rub.jpg Spergularia rubra
Image source: fig. 147 in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 306.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: LE, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, SE.   W.Aust.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native to Europe.

Conservation status: naturalised

Flowering time: Sept. — Nov.


SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: The lack of purple markings on the calyx, the silvery and mostly tomentose leaves and deeply sculptured seeds characterise this species.

Author: Not yet available


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