Spergularia canadensis var. occidentalis

Western sand-spurrey

Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: annual · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.1

Western sand-spurrey is a rare (CNPS 2B.1) California native annual found in northern coastal California, specifically around Humboldt Bay in salt marshes at elevations below 3 meters. Flowering during summer, this plant produces delicate white to pink flowers with petals that are small and subtly charming. Growing with slender stems 0.4 to 1.8 millimeters in diameter, it forms a delicate yet resilient presence in its salty habitat. Its fleshy leaves feature small, inconspicuous white-dull stipules with obtuse to acute tips, contributing to its subtle botanical character. The plant produces reddish-brown seeds often featuring subtle wing-like structures, which are minutely glandular-hairy and approximately 1 millimeter long.

Habitat: Salt marshes

Bloom period: Summer

Elevation: < 3 m

Bioregions: n NCo (Humboldt Bay)

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