General:
Perennial herb from a branched stem-base and slender rhizome; stems ascending to erect, several, usually branched, more or less curly or downswept short-hairy or rarely glabrous, 4-20 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves opposite, 3-7 pairs, narrowly elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 3-30 mm long, 2-12 mm wide, rounded to obtuse, lower ones smaller, margins and midrib short rough-hairy, usually short rough-hairy below as well, often with sterile shoots arising in the leaf axils; stipules lacking.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of 5-6 flowers in terminal and lateral clusters, occasionally solitary; petals 5 or occasionally 4, white, egg-shaped, 3.5-8 mm long; sepals 5 or occasionally 4, green with white margins, oblong, rounded, 2-3 mm long, usually glabrous.

Fruits:
Capsules nearly globose, 2-4 mm long, 6-valved; seeds smooth, black, shiny, 0.8-1.1 mm long, with a small, fleshy appendage.

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 lateriflora L.
Arenaria lateriflora var. angustifolia (Regel) H. St. John
Arenaria lateriflora var. tayloriae H. St. John