Spergularia media var. media

Greater sea-spurrey, Greater Sea-Spurrey

Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: perennial · Not Native

Greater sea-spurrey is a naturalized perennial found in northern central Coast Ranges of Marin and Contra Costa counties, and southern Coast Ranges of Riverside County in salt flats, salt marshes, and sandy beaches at elevations below 2 meters. Flowering from summer to fall, this plant produces white flowers with 9 to 10 stamens in simple or compound inflorescences. Growing as a stout herb with lower main stems 1 to 4 millimeters in diameter, it forms dense clusters with clearly fleshy leaves. Its leaves feature small, dull white deltate stipules, with axillary clusters typically absent. The fruit is 5.5 to 8 millimeters long, producing dark brown seeds generally with a wing-like edge.

Habitat: Salt flats, salt marshes, sandy beaches

Bloom period: Summer-fall

Elevation: < 2 m

Bioregions: n CCo (Marin, Contra Costa cos.), SCo (Riverside Co.)

California counties: Napa, Marin

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