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coastal-plain nailwort

Eurasian nailwort

Habit Plants annual, matted; taproot filiform.
Stems

prostrate to erect, dichotomously branched, 3–20 cm, retrorsely to spreading- pubescent throughout.

Leaves

stipules ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–7 mm, apex acuminate, entire;

blade elliptic to oblong or ovate, or basal ones spatulate, 2–18 × 1–6 mm, herbaceous to leathery, apex mucronate to short-spine-tipped, moderately antrorsely pubescent.

Inflorescences

diffuse, flowers solitary (paired) in axils of leafy bracts.

Flowers

5-merous, broadly ovoid, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx tapering distally, 2–2.3 mm, glabrous to strigose;

sepals brownish to yellowish, veins absent, subulate to lanceolate, 1–1.7 mm, leathery to rigid, margins whitish, 0.03–0.1 mm wide, papery, apex terminated by awn, hood obscure, small flange, awn straight to slightly divergent, yellow, 0.3–0.4 mm, scabrous to antrorsely strigose, spinose;

staminodes narrowly triangular, 0.2–0.3 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/8, 0.7–0.9 mm.

Utricles

ellipsoid to subglobose, 0.5–0.8 mm, essentially smooth, glabrous.

Paronychia herniarioides

Paronychia echinulata

Phenology Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat Sandy ridges, dunes, pine/oak woodland
Elevation 0-300 m (0-1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; Europe (Medi-terranean region); sw Asia; Africa (nw Mediterranean region)
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Varieties 2 (1 in the flora).

Paronychia echinulata was for many years known as P. echinata Lamarck. The latter cannot be used since, as Chater noted, it is a superfluous name for Illecebrum cymosa Linnaeus [= P. cymosa (Linnaeus) de Candolle].

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 38. FNA vol. 5, p. 36.
Parent taxa Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Paronychioideae > Paronychia Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Paronychioideae > Paronychia
Sibling taxa
P. ahartii, P. americana, P. argyrocoma, P. baldwinii, P. canadensis, P. chartacea, P. congesta, P. depressa, P. drummondii, P. echinulata, P. erecta, P. fastigiata, P. franciscana, P. jamesii, P. jonesii, P. lindheimeri, P. maccartii, P. monticola, P. patula, P. pulvinata, P. rugelii, P. sessiliflora, P. setacea, P. virginica, P. wilkinsonii
P. ahartii, P. americana, P. argyrocoma, P. baldwinii, P. canadensis, P. chartacea, P. congesta, P. depressa, P. drummondii, P. erecta, P. fastigiata, P. franciscana, P. herniarioides, P. jamesii, P. jonesii, P. lindheimeri, P. maccartii, P. monticola, P. patula, P. pulvinata, P. rugelii, P. sessiliflora, P. setacea, P. virginica, P. wilkinsonii
Subordinate taxa
P. echinulata var. echinulata
Synonyms Anychia herniarioides, Anychiastrum herniarioides, Gastronychia herniarioides
Name authority (Michaux) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 159. (1818) Chater: Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 69: 52. (1964)
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