Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata
Spiny paronychia
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Annual · Not Native
Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata (Spiny paronychia) is a non-native California annual in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by . Naturalized from Europe with distinctive hooked hairs and recurved sepal tips.
Spiny paronychia is a naturalized annual found in northern San Joaquin Valley near La Grange in Stanislaus County on disturbed clay soil at approximately 25 meters elevation. Flowering in spring, this delicate plant produces tiny flowers in axillary clusters 2 to 2.5 millimeters long with dense hooked hairs. Growing with slender erect stems 2 to 20 centimeters tall, it develops from a fine taproot less than 1 millimeter in diameter. Its small elliptic to oblong leaves are 3 to 7 millimeters long with green scabrous margins and abruptly pointed tips. The plant produces nearly spherical seeds approximately 0.7 millimeters in size with distinctive recurved sepal awns.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated, no sympatric species. Naturalized from Europe with distinctive hooked hairs and recurved sepal tips.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed clay soil
Elevation: +- 25 m.
Outside California: native to southern Europe, northwestern Africa, western Asia
Bloom period
Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata blooms Spring.
How to tell it apart
vs Cardionema: Paronychia sepals are smooth, not densely woolly-fuzzy like Cardionema.; vs Herniaria: Paronychia sepals have white papery edges and bristle tips; Herniaria has blunt green sepals.; vs Achyronychia: Paronychia has narrow sepals with bristles; Achyronychia has broad rounded sepals.; vs Scopulophila: Paronychia lacks the densely woolly cushion base of Scopulophila.; vs Scleranthus: Paronychia has tiny stipules at leaf bases; Scleranthus has none.
Frequently asked questions
Is Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata native to California?
No. Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata bloom?
Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata blooms Spring.
What plant family does Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata belong to?
Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Paronychia.
What habitat does Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata grow in?
Paronychia echinulata var. echinulata grows in Disturbed clay soil.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.