Sagina L.
Annual to perennial herbs. Hairs eglandular or glandular or 0. Cauline lvs usually opposite, exstipulate, linear to subulate, connate at base. Fls solitary, terminal or axillary; bracts leaflike; epicalyx 0. Sepals 4-5, free with narrow scarious margin. Petals 4-5, white, entire, 1-2× length of sepals or vestigial or 0; coronal scales 0. Stamens in 1-2 whorls of 4-5, outer whorl opposite sepals. Styles 4-5. Fr. an ovoid many-seeded capsule, 4-5-valved, dehiscing to base. Seeds triangular-ovoid or reniform to subglobose, smooth, papillate or tuberculate, not winged.
Key
All or most fls 4-merous; all or most capsules 4-valved; petals 0 or minute, rarely to 3/4 length of sepals
2
Stems ascending, rarely decumbent, not bearing axillary fascicles of lvs; uppermost lvs with ciliate margins at base; sepals green, often purplish on margin
Stems procumbent, rarely ascending, bearing axillary fascicles of lvs; cauline lvs glabrous or rarely with minute marginal cilia; sepals green, always green on margin
c. 15 spp., temperate N. Hemisphere. Naturalised spp. 3.
