Sabulina rubella (Wahlenb.) Hiern.
boreal sandwort
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Vanessa Robinson     (Photo ID #86845)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Sabulina rubella
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a small taproot and a branched crown; forming small cushions 4-20 cm across; stems slender, ascending, several, simple to few branched, glandular-hairy, 1-15 cm tall.
Leaves:
Basal leaves linear-lanceolate, 3-12 mm long, less than 1 mm wide, densely glandular, densely crowded, prominently 3-nerved, bluish-green; stem leaves opposite, 2-6 pairs, 0.3-1.5 cm long, reduced upwards, densely glandular, bluish-green, without clustered secondary leaves in their axils; stipules lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 2-4 flowers in an open cluster, occasionally flowers solitary; petals 5, white or sometimes reddish, oblanceolate, 2.5-5 mm long; sepals 5, often purplish, broadly lanceolate, long-pointed or abruptly sharp-pointed, 2-4 mm long, strongly 3-nerved, glandular.
Fruits:
Capsules narrowly egg-shaped, 3-5 mm long, 3- to 4-valved; seeds kidney-shaped, 0.4-0.6 mm long, light reddish-brown, minutely roughened.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

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.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Sabulina rubella

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

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1979 870 2630
Slope Gradient (%)
29 0 92

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

196 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
2 0 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
130
Modal BEC Zone Class
ESSF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

AT(21), BAFA(37), CMA(1), ESSF(40), ICH(2), IMA(11), MS(4), SBS(5), SWB(7)

Habitat and Range

Dry gravelly slopes, meadows and fellfields in the subalpine and alpine zones; common throughout BC, except rare on the Queen Charlotte Islands; circumpolar, N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to NM, NV and CA; Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Minuartia rubella (Wahlenb.) Hiern.