Sagina L.

Pearlwort

Ancient name for Spurrey which was originally part of the genus.

Annual or perennial herbs. Stems slender, erect or spreading. Leaves narrow and pointed to linear-lanceolate, slightly joined around the stem; stipules absent. Flowers terminal or axillary, small, stalked, solitary or a few in a cluster. Sepals and petals 4 or 5, white (occasionally absent). Styles 4 or 5; spring to summer. Fruit a capsule opening to the base by 4 valves; seeds numerous.

Garden weeds of crevices, paths etc.

About 30 species from the temperate northern hemisphere.

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Caryophyllaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Caryophyllanae
order      Caryophyllales
family       Caryophyllaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
species         Sagina apetala Ard.
species         Sagina procumbens L.