Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Spreading Sandwort
Arenaria lanuginosa
Pink family (Caryophyllaceae)

Arenaria lanuginosa typically sprawls along the ground making very loose, open mounds with 3-7 inch stems topped by bright white flowers. Rounded white petals are slightly longer than the pointed green and the pink of the are arched back over the petals. In the very center of the flower one can see that the is split into three white arching segments. Look for this common chickweed along trails through open Spruce forests. What you will notice first are the bright white flowers. "Aren" is Latin for "sand" and is aptly applied because of the often sandy areas the grows in. "Lanuginosum," from the Latin for "wool" and "full of," and is of unknown reference.


©2009 Anthony Mendoza

Description

, loosely . Stems mainly 2-15" tall. Leaves mainly on the stem, 3-6 pairs, 1/7 to 1" long and only up to 1/5" wide, lance-spaced to with short hairs. Flowers appearing single but actually in from middle and upper leaf axils or . green with thin colorless margins. Petals to 1/3" long, white. with 6 .

Field Marks

Sprawling small-leaved plant with bright white flowers, and .

© Al Schneider

stamen -- the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower; The stamen consists of an anther supported by a filament.

style -- This is a long and thread-like structure that connects the stigma with the ovary. A flower may have a single style, or several of them.

A raceme is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along its axis.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

caespitose -- Grass (or plants) growing in small dense clumps or tufts.

Like the teeth on a saw, leaves and other surfaces can have toothed edges.

Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom.

terminal -- Located at the end (the tip or the apex).

capsule -- a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. In most cases the capsule splits apart to release seeds.

The anther is a pad at the end of the stamen that holds the pollen.

Occuring at or very close to a margin.

elliptic -- Oval, with no point or a very short point.

genus -- A subdivision of a botanical Family in which all members have a significant number of similar characteristics.

exserted -- projected beyond. (Exserted stamens project beyond the corolla tube.)