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Volume IV (1988) - Flora of New Zealand Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons
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Spergularia J.Presl & C.Presl

SPERGULARIA (Pers.) Presl et C. Presl

Annual to perennial herbs. Hairs glandular. Lvs opposite, linear; stipules scarious, connate at the base or for up to 1/2 of length and forming a sheath. Infl. a terminal dichasium or monochasium; pedicels deflexed to erecto-patent; bracts scarious; epicalyx 0. Sepals 5, free. Petals 5, entire, purplish pink or white; coronal scales 0. Stamens (0)-1-10. Styles 3. Fr. an ovoid capsule, dehiscing by 3 valves; carpophore 0. Seeds ovoid or subtrigonous, flattened, smooth or papillate, winged or not.

Key

1
Stipules of upper lvs connate for c. 1/2 of length, forming a sheath; seeds ± smooth, winged or not, > 0.5 mm long; plant of salt meadows and coastal rocks
2
Stipules of upper lvs shortly connate, not forming a distinct sheath though often conspicuous; seeds very finely papillate, not winged, < 0.5 mm long; plant of sandy or stony waste land, sometimes coastal
3
2
Stipules > 2 mm long; pedicels mostly > 10 mm long; sepals > 5 mm long; seeds very dark brown, usually winged
4. media
Stipules 1-1.5-(2) mm long; pedicels < 10 mm long; sepals < 4 mm long; seeds brown, not winged
2. *marina
3
Lvs fascicled; stipules lanceolate, silvery, 3-4.5 mm long; pedicels (2)-4-9 mm long, mostly > sepals
3. *rubra
Lvs not fascicled; stipules triangular to ovate, greyish but not silvery, 2-2.5 mm long; pedicels 1.5-3 mm long, < sepals
1. *bocconei

c. 50 spp., mostly Mediterranean Europe and America, but some cosmopolitan. Native sp. 1, naturalised 3.

Most Spergularia spp. are halophytes and are found in coastal habitats. A few are weeds of waste places and open stony ground.

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