Eremogone congesta var. congesta
Capitate sandwort
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eremogone congesta var. congesta (Capitate sandwort) is a native California subshrub in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by sessile flowers in dense heads.
Capitate sandwort is a California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, northern California Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in gravelly or sandy open areas at elevations of 1,300 to 2,000 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces white flowers in dense clusters with closely enveloping bracts. Growing with delicate stems up to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact clusters in open terrain. Its leaves are extremely narrow, measuring 30 to 80 millimeters long and only 0.5 to 1 millimeter wide, creating a fine, thread-like appearance. The flower's sepals are bluntly rounded, measuring 3.5 to 4.2 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species, distinguished by sessile flowers in dense heads
Habitat and range
Habitat: Gravelly or sandy soil, in open
Elevation: 1300-2000 m
California counties: Butte, Humboldt, Inyo, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Fresno, Glenn, Plumas, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, Tehama, Modoc, El Dorado
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, Colorado
Bloom period
Eremogone congesta var. congesta blooms Jun-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Sabulina: Eremogone has rigid, spine-tipped needle leaves in dense cushions; Sabulina has softer, narrower leaves more scattered on stems.; vs Minuartia: Eremogone cushions have spine-tipped needles that prick; Minuartia has softer, more flexible narrow leaves.; vs Ivesia: Eremogone has simple needle leaves in cushions; Ivesia has compound, fern-like leaves in rosettes.; vs Hesperolinon: Eremogone forms cushions of sharp needle leaves; Hesperolinon is upright with scattered narrow leaves.; vs Linanthus: Eremogone has dense needle-leaf cushions; Linanthus has palmate-divided leaves like tiny hands.
Frequently asked questions
Is Eremogone congesta var. congesta native to California?
Yes. Eremogone congesta var. congesta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eremogone congesta var. congesta bloom?
Eremogone congesta var. congesta blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Eremogone congesta var. congesta grow?
Eremogone congesta var. congesta occurs in Butte, Humboldt, Inyo, Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Fresno, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of 1300-2000 m.
What plant family does Eremogone congesta var. congesta belong to?
Eremogone congesta var. congesta is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Eremogone.
What habitat does Eremogone congesta var. congesta grow in?
Eremogone congesta var. congesta grows in Gravelly or sandy soil, in open.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eremogone congesta var. crassula — Rough sandwort
- Eremogone congesta var. simulans — Capitate sandwort
- Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta — Capitate sandwort
- Eremogone congesta var. suffrutescens — Suffrutescent sandwort
- Eremogone ferrisiae — Ferris' sandwort
- Eremogone kingii var. glabrescens — King's sandwort
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.