Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta
Capitate sandwort
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Subshrub · Native
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta (Capitate sandwort) is a native California subshrub in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by moderate inflorescence openness and leaf length.
Capitate sandwort is a California native perennial found in northern California Mountains, high Sierra Nevada, northern Great Basin, and desert mountains on open rocky slopes and flats at elevations of 1,350 to 2,750 meters. Flowering from June to July, this plant produces white flowers in compact clusters with scattered bracts. Growing with delicate stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms loose, open clusters. Its narrow leaves are thread-like, measuring 10 to 30 millimeters long and less than one millimeter wide. The flower sepals are sharp-pointed and 3.5 to 4.5 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species, distinguished by moderate inflorescence openness and leaf length
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open rocky slopes, flats, often on volcanics
Elevation: 1350-2750 m
California counties: Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne, Sierra, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Tehama
Outside California: to Utah
Bloom period
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta blooms Jun-Jul.
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. subcongesta native to California?
Yes. Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta bloom?
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta blooms Jun-Jul.
Where in California does Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta grow?
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta occurs in Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Plumas, Siskiyou, Tulare, Tuolumne and other counties, at elevations of 1350-2750 m.
What plant family does Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta belong to?
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Eremogone.
What habitat does Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta grow in?
Eremogone congesta var. subcongesta grows in Open rocky slopes, flats, often on volcanics.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Eremogone congesta var. suffrutescens — Suffrutescent sandwort
- Eremogone ferrisiae — Ferris' sandwort
- Eremogone kingii var. glabrescens — King's sandwort
- Eremogone macradenia — Mojave or desert sandwort
- Eremogone macradenia var. arcuifolia — Forest camp sandwort
- Eremogone macradenia var. macradenia — Desert 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.