Sabulina stricta

Bog sandwort, Bog Sandwort

Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.3

Bog sandwort is a rare (CNPS 2B.3) California native perennial found in central Sierra Nevada and White and Inyo Mountains in alpine habitats with granitic gravels and sedge meadows at elevations of 3,500 to 3,900 meters. Flowering in August, this delicate plant forms tiny clusters with no visible petals, creating subtle white-green patches in high-elevation landscapes. Growing as a dense, low-growing mat with decumbent to erect stems only 0.8 to 2.5 centimeters tall, it spreads through a compact cespitose growth form. Its leaves are needle-like, extremely narrow at 0.3 to 0.6 millimeters wide, mostly clustered near the base of the plant and appearing flexible and straight. The plant produces small seeds with thick red-brown margins, well-adapted to surviving in harsh alpine environments.

Habitat: Granitic gravels, sandy wet spots, sedge meadows, alpine

Bloom period: Aug

Elevation: 3500-3900 m

Bioregions: c&amps SNH, W&ampI

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