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Rocky Mountain nailwort

coastal-plain nailwort

Habit Plants perennial, densely cespitose, cushion-forming; caudex much-branched, woody. Plants annual, matted; taproot filiform.
Stems

prostrate, much-branched, 5–10 cm, puberulent.

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

Leaves

stipules ovate, 3–6 mm, apex subobtuse, entire;

blade narrowly elliptic-oblong or oblong to narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, 2–5 × 0.2–1.8(–2) mm, fleshy, apex obtuse to subacute, glabrous.

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

mostly solitary at end of shoots, almost concealed by leaves.;

flowers 5-merous, elliptic-oblong, with enlarged hypanthium and calyx straight to tapering distally, 2.5–2.8 mm, densely appressed-puberulent, sparsely so distally;

sepals whitish to green, veins absent, narrowly oblong to ovate-oblong, 1.5–1.7 mm, papery to herbaceous, margins white, 0.2–0.3 mm wide, papery, apex with subterminal awn, hood ascending as continuation of sepal, broadly rounded to notched, awn erect, white, 0.3–0.6(–1) mm, ± glabrous spine;

staminodes filiform, 0.7–0.9 mm;

style 1, cleft in distal 1/3, 0.8–1 mm.

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

ovoid, 1.3–1.5 mm, smooth, glabrous.

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

2n

= 32.

Paronychia pulvinata

Paronychia herniarioides

Phenology Flowering summer. Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat Rocky slopes and summit screes in alpine regions Sandy ridges, dunes, pine/oak woodland
Elevation 3300-4200 m (10800-13800 ft) 0-300 m (0-1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CO; UT; WY
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
FL; GA; NC; SC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 40. FNA vol. 5, p. 38.
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. herniarioides, P. jamesii, P. jonesii, P. lindheimeri, P. maccartii, P. monticola, P. patula, 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. 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
Synonyms P. pulvinata var. longiaristata Anychia herniarioides, Anychiastrum herniarioides, Gastronychia herniarioides
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 15: 58. (1864) (Michaux) Nuttall: Gen. N. Amer. Pl. 1: 159. (1818)
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