Claytonia exigua Torr. & A. Gray
pale springbeauty (Pallid claytonia ; serpentine springbeauty)
Montiaceae (Purslane family)
(Previously in Portulacaceae)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Liz Watkinson     (Photo ID #23980)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Claytonia exigua
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Species Information

General:
Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems erect, simple, bluish-green, 1-15 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves numerous, linear, 2-12 cm long, 0.5-1.5 mm wide, blue-green; stem leaves paired, opposite, linear to linear-lanceolate, 0.5-4 cm long, free or fused on one side less than half their length, bluish-green.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of stalked to unstalked racemes 5-20 mm long with 2-7 flowers on recurved stalks, the stalks 3-10 mm long, with one bract subtending the lowest flower; petals 5, white or pale pink, 2.5-4.5 mm long; sepals 2, 1-2 mm long.
Fruits:
Capsules, 2-3 mm long; seeds 3, elliptic, dull black, 1-1.5 mm long, with small rounded swellings (at 20x magnification), the appendages brownish, fleshy or shrunken.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat and Range

Moist, open vernal sites in the lowland and montane zones; infrequent on SE Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and adjacent coast, also known from Hazelton; S to CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia