Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca
Sand spurrey
Photo: parent species Spergularia macrotheca · (c) mel letterman, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca (Sand spurrey) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by coastal perennial with pink/blue flowers.
Sand spurrey is a California native perennial found in northern and central coastal regions including the Channel Islands in salt flats, marshes, coastal dunes, and alkaline fields at elevations below 250 meters. Flowering from spring to fall, this plant produces delicate pink to rosy or blue flowers with petals nestled in calyx lobes 5 to 7 millimeters long. Growing with slender stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall, it spreads across low-lying coastal landscapes with a compact, ground-hugging form. Its leaves are fine and narrow, typical of plants adapted to harsh coastal and salt-influenced environments. The tiny seeds, measuring 0.6 to 0.8 millimeters, are produced in fruit slightly larger than the calyx, allowing for efficient dispersal in windy coastal habitats.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; coastal perennial with pink/blue flowers
Habitat and range
Habitat: Salt flats, marshes, dunes, rocky outcrops, sandy or rocky coastal bluffs, gravelly ridges, alkaline fields
Elevation: < 250 m
California counties: Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Santa Barbara, Colusa, Fresno, Humboldt, Mendocino, Napa, Riverside, San Bernardino, Solano, Yolo, Alameda, Del Norte, Marin, San Francisco, Monterey, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma
Outside California: to British Columbia, Baja California
Bloom period
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca blooms Spring-fall.
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 var. macrotheca native to California?
Yes. Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca bloom?
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca blooms Spring-fall.
Where in California does Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca grow?
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca occurs in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Santa Barbara, Colusa, Fresno and other counties, at elevations of < 250 m.
What plant family does Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca belong to?
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Spergularia.
What habitat does Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca grow in?
Spergularia macrotheca var. macrotheca grows in Salt flats, marshes, dunes, rocky outcrops, sandy or rocky coastal bluffs, gravelly ridges, alkaline fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.