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spreading sandwort

Scientific Name: Arenaria lanuginosa ssp. lanuginosa

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Spreading Sandwort (Arenaria lanuginosa)

Arenaria lanuginosa, commonly known as Spreading Sandwort, is a forb/herb, meaning it is a non-woody plant that is not a grass. It is sometimes referred to as Alpine Sandwort.

Considerations for Pets

  • Some varieties, like Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana), grow about six inches tall and spread roughly 12 inches wide.
  • "Avalanche" forms of the plant can create a prostrate, neatly spreading mat.
  • Corsican Sandwort can form a dense mat that reaches 3 inches in height and spreads 12 to 18 inches wide.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Arenaria lanuginosa (Michx.) Rohrb.
  • Common Name: Spreading Sandwort
  • Family: Caryophyllaceae
  • Synonym: Arenaria patula Michx., Minuartia patula (Michx.) Mattf.
  • Subspecies:
    • Arenaria lanuginosa subsp. lanuginosa
    • Arenaria lanuginosa subsp. saxosa (A. Gray) Maguire
  • Varieties:
    • Arenaria lanuginosa var. lanuginosa
    • Arenaria lanuginosa var. saxosa

Distribution and Habitat

  • The Spreading Sandwort is native to some areas.
  • It is found from the southern U.S. to Peru, including locations such as the summit of Volcan Baru in Panama.
  • It has also been reported in Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana.
  • It often grows in sandy soils.
  • It is found in specific habitats like avalanche clearings and spruce-fir forests at high altitudes (e.g., 10,000 feet).

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Arenaria lanuginosa is a diffusely branched herbaceous plant.
  • Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria montana), a related species, grows to about six inches tall and spreads about 12 inches wide, bearing one-inch white blossoms.
  • Some forms create a prostrate, spreading mat.
  • It has white, 5-petal flowers.
  • It can spread vegetatively through rhizomes, forming dense tangles of plants.

Ecological Role

  • Spreading Sandwort can be used as a pathway plant.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The flowers are white, 5 petaled
  • The Sandwort plant will root and spread in sandy soils.

Further Information

  • Discover Life provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Arenaria lanuginosa.
  • Dave's Garden offers tips and ideas for gardens and information about seeds and plants.
  • Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arenaria lanuginosa, such as images.
  • USDA plants database.