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corn-spurrey, corn-spurry, spargoute des champs, starwort, stickwort

spargoute, spurrey, spurry

Habit Plants glabrous or, often, glandular. Herbs, annual or winter annual.
Taproots

slender to ± stout, especially proximally.

Stems

usually branched proximally, 10–50+ cm.

spreading or ascending to erect, simple or branched, terete to somewhat angular.

Leaves

blades usually appearing terete, 1.5–3(–5) cm, margins often revolute, forming abaxial channel.

opposite but appearing whorled, as 8–15 per axillary cluster, 2 clusters per node, connate proximally by often-prominent ridge from which stipules arise, sessile;

stipules 4 per node, white, ovate to triangular, margins entire but splitting variously with age, apex obtuse to acuminate;

blade 1-veined, linear or filiform, sometimes succulent, apex blunt to apiculate.

Inflorescences

terminal, open to diffuse cymes;

bracts paired, minute.

Pedicels

erect to ascending, reflexed, secund in fruit.

erect to ascending, spreading or usually reflexed and sometimes secund in fruit.

Flowers

sepals 3.5–5 mm;

petals ovate, 3/4–1 times as long as sepals in flower, apex obtuse;

stamens usually 10.

usually bisexual, sometimes pistillate by stamen abortion;

perianth and androecium briefly perigynous;

hypanthium dish- or cup-shaped, not abruptly expanded distally;

sepals distinct, silvery, elliptic to nearly ovate, 2.5–5 mm, herbaceous, margins scarious, apex acute to obtuse;

petals 5, white, blade apex entire;

nectaries at adaxial base of broader filaments opposite sepals;

stamens 5 and opposite sepals, or 10 and arising from distally tapered rim of hypanthium;

filaments distinct;

styles 5, distinct, filiform, 0.4–0.6 mm, glabrous proximally;

stigmas 5, linear along adaxial surface of styles, obscurely papillate (30x).

Capsule(s)

valves 3.5–5 mm.

ovoid, opening by 5 spreading to somewhat recurved valves;

carpophore absent.

Seeds

sometimes keeled or winged, subglobose, 1–1.1 mm wide, surface minutely roughened or obscurely low-tuberculate (50x), covered with white, club-shaped papillae in part or throughout (packing of seeds in capsule may prevent papillae development in spots), wings white, ± 0.1 mm wide.

5–25, blackish, circular, subglobose or lenticular and laterally compressed, nearly smooth or finely papillate, membranous, entire marginal wing often present, appendage absent;

embryo peripheral, annular to spirally curved.

x

= 9.

2n

= 18, 36 (both Europe).

Spergula arvensis

Spergula

Phenology Flowering spring–early summer.
Habitat Sandy roadsides, cultivated fields, other disturbed areas
Elevation 10-2000 m (0-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AL; AR; CA; CO; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; ID; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MS; MT; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; OR; PA; RI; SC; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; NB; NF; NS; NT; ON; PE; QC; SK; YT; SPM; Greenland; Eurasia [Introduced in North America; introduced in Central America, South America, Asia (Korea), Africa, Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from USDA
Eurasia (esp Mediterranean region, Europe) [Introduced in North America]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Spergula arvensis is often a significant weed in sandy crop lands, but it is sometimes used as a forage crop in areas with poor, sandy soils; it was intentionally introduced to Crawford County, Michigan, in 1888 (O. Clute and O. Palmer 1893). Historical collections are known also from Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, where Spergula arvensis may have been introduced but apparently did not persist.

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

Species 5 (3 in the flora).

Spergula arvensis is the only species of the genus that has been introduced extensively outside of Eurasia.

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

Key
1. Leaf blades usually appearing terete, 1.5-3(-5) cm, margins often revolute, forming abaxial channel; seeds subglobose, sometimes with keel or wing ± 0.1 mm wide
S. arvensis
1. Leaf blades usually flat, 0.3-1.5(-2) cm, usually not channeled abaxially; seeds lenticular, laterally compressed, wings 0.2-0.6 mm wide
→ 2
2. Seed wings light brown to brownish black, 0.2-0.3 mm wide; stamens usually 10
S. morisonii
2. Seed wings white or sometimes slightly tannish, 0.4-0.6 mm wide; stamens usually 5
S. pentandra
Source FNA vol. 5, p. 15. FNA vol. 5, p. 14. Authors: Ronald L. Hartman, Richard K. Rabeler.
Parent taxa Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Polycarpoideae > Spergula Caryophyllaceae > subfam. Polycarpoideae
Sibling taxa
S. morisonii, S. pentandra
Subordinate taxa
S. arvensis, S. morisonii, S. pentandra
Synonyms S. arvensis var. sativa
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 440. 1753  Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 440. (1753): Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 199. (1754)
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