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

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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.