Spergularia diandra (Guss.) Boiss.

Spice In the field Inflorescence

Family: CARYOPHYLLACEAE

Genus: Spergularia

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Rocky coastlines. Salty soils.

Characteristics: A small upright herbaceous plant, pilose, slender, not very attractive to the eye and with stems to 30 cm. As for the great majority of the Spergularia, the leaves are elongated, opposite, narrow, pointy and slightly fleshy. The inflorescences are very fine and are formed by solitary pink flowers, with long peduncles with sepals; these with a scabrous margin, pilose, obtuse, and more or less as long as the petals (elliptic). The stipules are triangular. The capsule can take on dark purplish colourations when mature, and the seeds are dark brown to black, without wings and finely tuberculate.

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