Cardionema ramosissimum
Sandmat
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Cardionema ramosissimum (Sandmat) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by Monotypic genus adapted to coastal sandy habitats of the Pacific Americas.
Sandmat is a California native perennial found in coastal bioregions including northern California Coast, central California Coast, southern California Coast, northern Channel Islands, and Peninsular Ranges in sandy beach, hill, and dune habitats at elevations below 400 meters. Flowering from spring to early summer, this plant produces small white flowers with incurved sepal margins. Growing with slender branching stems 5 to 30 centimeters tall and often covered by stipules, it spreads in low, delicate clusters. Its leaves are 5 to 13 millimeters long, finely spine-tipped, and glabrous, creating a fine, intricate texture across sandy surfaces. The tiny seeds are narrowly ovate, measuring 1.4 to 1.6 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Monotypic genus adapted to coastal sandy habitats of the Pacific Americas
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy beaches, hills, dunes, bluffs
Elevation: < 400 m
California counties: San Diego, Orange, Monterey, Del Norte, San Francisco, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Mateo, Ventura
Outside California: to Washington, Mexico, South America
Bloom period
Cardionema ramosissimum blooms Spring-early summer.
How to tell it apart
vs Paronychia: Cardionema is densely woolly-fuzzy; Paronychia is smooth-surfaced.; vs Euphorbia: Cardionema forms coastal woolly mats; Euphorbia has milky sap and different flower structure.; vs Selaginella: Cardionema has woolly flowering mats; Selaginella is a scale-leaved non-flowering plant.; vs Chorizanthe: Cardionema has woolly pink family flowers; Chorizanthe has buckwheat family flower structure.; vs Salsola: Cardionema forms low woolly mats; Salsola is a tumbleweed with spine-tipped leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cardionema ramosissimum native to California?
Yes. Cardionema ramosissimum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cardionema ramosissimum bloom?
Cardionema ramosissimum blooms Spring-early summer.
Where in California does Cardionema ramosissimum grow?
Cardionema ramosissimum occurs in San Diego, Orange, Monterey, Del Norte, San Francisco, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Marin and other counties, at elevations of < 400 m.
What plant family does Cardionema ramosissimum belong to?
Cardionema ramosissimum is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Cardionema.
What habitat does Cardionema ramosissimum grow in?
Cardionema ramosissimum grows in Sandy beaches, hills, dunes, bluffs.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.