Spergularia capillacea (Kindb.) Willk.

Spice In the field

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Spergularia

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Litoral marshes and riparian. Rocky coastlines. Salty soils.

Characteristics: A small prostrate plant, not very attractive to the eye and with stems to 35 cm. As for the great majority of the Spergularia, the leaves are elongated, opposite, narrow, pointy and slightly fleshy. Then pink flowers are solitary and pendunculate with sepals; these hyaline, glaborous to puberlous, obtuse. Differs from the rest of the Spergularias mainly for: stipules lanceolate to acuminate and clearly transparent, its rooting stems and its pale earth toned and wingless seeds that are densely tuberculate.

Observations: An identification key is necessary to correctly identify all of the Spergularia species.