Spergularia macrotheca
Sticky sand-spurrey, Sticky Sand-Spurrey
(c) mel letterman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Spergularia macrotheca (Sticky sand-spurrey) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by NONE sympatric - geographically isolated; perennial habit distinctive.
Sticky sand-spurrey is a California native perennial found in coastal and coastal mountain ranges in sandy or rocky habitats near the coast. Flowering from April to August, this plant produces white to pink or rosy flowers with delicate petals in small clusters. Growing with stout stems 8 to 30 centimeters tall and fleshy leaves, it has a strongly perennial habit with distinctive axillary leaf clusters. Its leaves are fleshy with conspicuous white to tan stipules 4.5 to 11 millimeters long, each with a long-acuminate tip. The fruit is 4.6 to 10 millimeters long, bearing reddish-brown seeds with unique worm-like or rounded surface textures.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: NONE sympatric - geographically isolated; perennial habit distinctive
Habitat and range
California counties: San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Colusa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Kern, Marin, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Francisco, San Mateo, Sonoma, Yolo, Kings, Contra Costa, Mendocino, Alameda, Tulare, San Benito, Solano, Glenn, Fresno
How to tell it apart
vs Spergula: Spergularia has simple opposite leaves at nodes; Spergula has whorl-like clusters of 16-30 leaves per node.; vs Erodium: Spergularia has tiny pink/white flowers with round capsules; Erodium has purple flowers with long-beaked stork's-bill fruits.; vs Sabulina: Spergularia has fleshy leaves and triangular stipules; Sabulina has thread-like leaves without stipules.; vs Cakile: Spergularia has opposite fleshy leaves with pink flowers; Cakile has alternate fleshy leaves with 4-petaled mustard flowers.; vs Calandrinia: Spergularia has 5 tiny petals and triangular stipules; Calandrinia has 3-7 showy petals and no stipules.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spergularia macrotheca native to California?
Yes. Spergularia macrotheca is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Spergularia macrotheca grow?
Spergularia macrotheca occurs in San Luis Obispo, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Colusa and other counties.
What plant family does Spergularia macrotheca belong to?
Spergularia macrotheca is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Spergularia.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Spergularia macrotheca var. leucantha — Sticky sandspurry
- Spergularia macrotheca var. longistyla — Long styled sand spurrey
- Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca — Sand spurrey
- Spergularia marina — Saltmarsh sand-spurrey
- Spergularia media var. media — Greater sea-spurrey
- Spergularia platensis var. platensis — La plata sand-spurrey
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.