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

Spergularia salina J. Presl & C. Presl
Saltmarsh Sandspurry (salt marsh sand-spurry; salt sandspurry)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Jamie Fenneman  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #4083)

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Distribution of Spergularia salina
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SUBTAXA PRESENT IN BC
Spergularia salina var. salina

Species Information

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General:
Annual herb from a slender taproot; stems ascending or more often mostly prostrate to decumbent, several, much-branched, more or less glandular-hairy, 10-30 cm tall/long, 0.6-2.0 mm in diameter.
Leaves:
Leaves opposite, linear, 1-3 cm long, about 1 mm wide, circular in cross section, abruptly slender-pointed; stipules egg-shaped, 2-4 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence several flowers in an open cluster; petals 5, pink with a white base, egg-shaped, blunt, 2.5-3 mm long; sepals 5, often pink-tinged, lanceolate, 3-4 mm long, glabrous to moderately glandular-hairy.
Fruits:
Capsules 3-6.4 mm long, 3-valved; seeds brown, nearly smooth but often somewhat pimply, mostly 0.6-0.9 mm long, wingless.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Wet to moist coastal mudflats or inland alkaline or saline ponds in the lowland and montane zones; common in SW BC, rare in SE and N BC; introduced from Eurasia.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Spergularia salina

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) 918 921 924
Slope Gradient (%) 0 1 3
Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]
240 239 240
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 5 5
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
E
Number of field plots
 species was recorded in:
2
Modal BEC Zone Class
IDF
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in: IDF(2)

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.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References