E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Eremogone capillaris var. americana (Poir.) Fenzl (Maguire) R.L.Hartm. & Rabeler
thread-leaved sandwort (fescue sandwort)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants
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E-Flora BC Static Map
Distribution of Eremogone capillaris var. americana
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a taproot and slender, branched stem-base; stems numerous, erect to ascending, tufted, usually glaucous, glabrous below and glandular-hairy on the upper stems and in the inflorescence, 5-20 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves many, grasslike, erect or ascending to somewhat lax, rather soft, sharply pointed, toothed along the margins, 2-6 cm long, 0.5-1 mm wide, 1-nerved, finely fringed to glabrous; stem leaves opposite, grasslike, reduced upwards, 2-5 pairs, to 4 cm long; stipules lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1-3 flowers in small open clusters; petals 5, white, egg-shaped, 5-9 mm long; sepals 5, 3-5 mm long, egg-shaped, the margins membranous and often violet-tinged, obtuse or abruptly sharp-pointed.
Fruits:
Capsules egg-shaped, 5-8 mm long, sparsely glandular, 6-valved; seeds 1.5-2 mm long, kidney-shaped, flattened, slightly warty.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Dry grasslands, shrublands, meadows and forest openings from the steppe to alpine zones; common in SC and SE BC, rare on Vancouver Island; E to AB and S to MT, NV and N OR.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Eremogone capillaris var. americana

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Minimum

Average

Maximum

Elevation (metres) 1965 2072 2155
Slope Gradient (%) 27 58 84
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
222 238 248
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
1 2 3
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
5
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: CMA(1), ESSF(4)

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Arenaria capillaris subsp. americana Maguire
Arenaria capillaris var. americana (Maguire) R.J. Davis
Arenaria formosa (Fisch.) Regel
Eremogone americana (Maguire) Ikonn.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References