Arenaria vitoriana Uribe-Ech. & Alejandre

Species

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Arenaria

Sinònims: Arenaria armerina Bory subsp. echinosperma G.López

Province distribution: València.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean (Iberian)

Plants protected by law: País Valencià Catalogue.

IUCN Category: NENot evaluated

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Meso-xerophyll mountain fields. Open pine forests and sparse grasslands on shallow, slightly sandy soils where snow accumulates in winter.

Characteristics: Perennial, somewhat woody, low-growing plant (10 cm). Flexible stems form dense mats. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, completely glabrous, with a rounded apex, arranged in tightly packed opposite pairs and curved downward. Flowers are white, five-petaled, pedicel-less, and appear in groups of 2 to 5 (occasionally solitary). The fruit is an ellipsoidal capsule, about half the length of the calyx, with seeds bearing a rough surface and small protuberances.