Alpine Pearlwort

Some specimens from alpine habitats in Montana and Alberta are intermediate between Sagina saginoides and the typically arctic S. nivalis.

This species is used medicinally.

Plants perennial, tufted or becom-ing cespitose in alpine habitats, glabrous. Stems ascending or sometimes pro-cumbent, few- to many-branched, not filiform. Leaves: axillary fascicles absent; basal frequently in primary and secondary rosettes 9-45 mm diam., blade linear, 10-20 mm, not succulent, apex apiculate, rarely aristate, glabrous; cauline not conspicuously connate basally, rarely forming inflated cup in cespitose, alpine plants, blade linear, sometimes linear-subulate in cespitose plants, 4-20(-25) mm, not fleshy, apex apiculate, glabrous. Pedicels frequently recurved during capsular development, erect in fruit, filiform, glabrous. Flowers axillary or terminal, 5-merous, very rarely some 4-merous; calyx base glabrous; sepals elliptic, 2-2.5 mm, hyaline margins white, rarely purple in alpine specimens, apex obtuse to rounded, remaining appressed following capsule dehiscence; petals elliptic, (1-)1.5-2 mm, shorter than or equaling sepals; stamens (5 or) 10. Capsules 2.5-3(-3.5) mm, 1.5-2 times sepals, dehiscing to base. Seeds brown, obliquely triangular with distinct abaxial groove, 0.3-0.4 mm, smooth to slightly pebbled. 2n = 22.

Herbs perennial. Stems caespitose, ca. 7 cm tall, glabrous. Leaves linear or subulate, 5--15 × ca. 1 mm, glabrous. Flower solitary, terminal. Pedicel recurved after anthesis, erect in fruit, (0.6--)1.5--3 cm. Sepals 5, ovate-oblong, 1.5--3 × ca. 1.5 mm, apex obtuse. Petals 5, ovate, shorter than sepals. Stamens (5 or)10. Styles 5. Capsule conical-ovoid, 3--5 mm, ca. 2 × as long as appressed sepals, shiny, 5-valved. Seeds brown, reniform-triangular, ca. 0.3 mm, grooved, ?sharply tuberculate. Fl. May--Jul, fr. Jul--Aug. 2n = 22.

Europe, C. & W. Asia, Siberia, Himalaya (Kashmir to Sikkim), Tibet, India, W. China, N. Japan, N. America, Greenland.

Greenland; Alta., B.C., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.W.T., Nunavut, Que., Yukon; Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., Nev., N.Mex., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.; Mexico; Eurasia.

Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [Bhutan, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Sikkim, Vietnam; SW Asia, Europe, North America].

2000-3600 m

Flowering mid-late summer.

Montane sites, open or light shade, wet places on lake margins, along stream gravels and seepages in rock ledges and roadcuts, subalpine and alpine zones; 1000-4000m.

Rocky mountain slopes, mire meadows, scrub, wet river banks; 1400--4200 m.

Spergula saginoides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 441. 1753; Sagina linnaei C. Presl; S. micrantha (Bunge) Fernald; S. saginoides var. hesperia Fernald

Spergula saginoides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 441. 1753; Sagina linnaei C. Presl.