Sabulina decumbens

The lassics sandwort

Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

The lassics sandwort is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges in Jeffrey-pine forest on serpentine soils at elevations of 1,500 to 1,600 meters. Flowering from spring to summer, this plant produces white flowers with delicate petals slightly shorter than its sepals. Growing as a mat-forming herb with ascending stems 4 to 15 centimeters tall, it spreads through trailing stems up to 30 centimeters long. Its leaves are needle-like, rigid, and precisely spaced, measuring 3 to 6 millimeters long and less than 2 millimeters wide. The seeds are distinctive, with thick margins in a rich purple-brown color.

Habitat: Serpentine soils in Jeffrey-pine forest

Bloom period: Spring-summer

Elevation: 1500-1600 m

Bioregions: n NCoRH (Mule Ridge, Trinity Co.).

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.