Spurreys and Larger Pearlworts

Sand Spurrey Knotted Pearlwort Lesser Sea-spurrey Corn Spurrey

What are they?

These plants are members of the large, Caryophyllaceae family, along with pinks, campions and their relatives. They are mostly rather small, often creeping or prostrate plants and typically have opposite leaves and pink or white, five-petalled flowers. The leaves are typically needle-like and succulent and are usually accompanied by translucent, papery stipules.

Where are they found?

These are mostly species of open, often sandy ground on heaths, tracks or in urban environments. Some species are plants of saltmarsh habitats, from where they have spread inland along the margins of larger roads where salt is applied in winter.

Identification

Habitat is a good starting point and will narrow your possibilities. After that, close attention needs to be paid to the presence or absence of hairs on stems and whether the hairs are glandular or not. Note: the pearlworts included on here are the larger species that tend to have flowers with five petals. Smaller pearlworts with no, or only four, petals can look similar in their leaves to these species and can be checked by clicking here.



Corn Spurrey      Spergula arvensis

Native. A distinctive plant of acidic, sandy soils and often found in great abundance in unsprayed corners of root crop fields, though greatly declined due to the use of herbicides. Flowers June to August. A relatively large species, with stems sometimes to 60cm in length and leaves 1-4cm in length. Flower stems are angled downwards in bud and after flowering. The combination of brilliant white flowers above slender, succulent leaves in arable farmland habitats is distinctive.

Corn Spurrey Corn Spurrey Corn Spurrey Corn Spurrey
Habit
Flowers
Leaves
Fruit


Greater Sea-spurrey      Spergularia media

Native. Widespread in coastal saltmarshes and saline, muddy and sandy places. Flowers June to September. Flowers 10-12mm across (occasionally a little less), with very pale pink, almost white and relatively broad petals. Main stems hairless, upper stems with a few glandular hairs. Seeds often with a circular 'wing'. Less common than Lesser Sea-spurrey and less likely to be found inland, being more closely tied to open, saltmarsh plant communities.

Greater Sea-spurrey Greater Sea-spurrey Greater Sea-spurrey Greater Sea-spurrey
Habit
Flower
Flower
Leaves


Lesser Sea-spurrey      Spergularia marina

Native. Widespread in coastal saltmarshes and saline, muddy and sandy places. More recently spreading inland along the edges of salted roads. Flowers June to September. Flowers 5-8mm across, with pale pink, relatively narrow, petals. Main stems hairless, upper stems with glandular hairs. Seeds usually with a circular 'wing'. In coastal habitats, this species is generally found a little higher up the saline gradient than Greater Sea-spurrey, being more typical of drier saltmarsh where species such as Red Fescue take over from wetter marsh dominated by cord-grass and more succulent saltmarsh plants.

Lesser Sea-spurrey Lesser Sea-spurrey Lesser Sea-spurrey Lesser Sea-spurrey
Habit
Flower
Stem and leaves
Stem and leaves


Sand Spurrey      Spergularia rubra

A native of dry, sandy heaths where it can be common along well-trodden tracks. Flowers June to September. Flowers pinkish-purple, small (3-6mm cross) but rather showy. Main stems hairless, upper stems with glandular hairs. Flower bracts relatively large and leaf-like. All seeds unwinged.

Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey
Habit
Flower
Flower
Stem, leaves and bracts
Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey Sand Spurrey
Stem and leaves
Stem, leaves and stipules
Lower stem
Leaf-like flower bracts


Rock Sea-spurrey      Spergularia rupicola

A native of western Britain, where it occurs on rocky coastlines, but only recorded twice in our region as an introduction and none recently. Flowers June to September. Flowers pink, 8-10mm across. Stems covered in glandular hairs. All seeds unwinged.

Rock Sea-spurrey Rock Sea-spurrey Rock Sea-spurrey
Habit
Habit
Flower
Rock Sea-spurrey Rock Sea-spurrey
Leaves
Stem


Greek Sea-spurrey      Spergularia bocconei

Introduced from the Mediterranean region, though possibly native in south-west England. A small handful of old records from our region, but may occur in the future as an introduction along salted roadsides. Flowers May to September. Flowers pink or white, 7-9mm across. Rather similar to Sand Spurrey, but flowers paler and flower bracts relatively small and less leaf-like. All seeds unwinged.

Greek Sea-spurrey Greek Sea-spurrey Greek Sea-spurrey
Habit
Flowers
Flower
Greek Sea-spurrey Greek Sea-spurrey Greek Sea-spurrey
Leaves
Stem
Small flower bracts


Knotted Pearlwort      Sagina nodosa

Native. Generally scarce and local in East Anglia at a few heathy sites that are wet in winter. More frequent around the meres in Breckland. Flowers July to September. Flowers showy with full petals (unlike the commoner pearlwort species). Leaves needle-like on lower stems, becoming shorter and forming tight clusters along the upright stems and giving the species its English name as they appear like small knots along the stem.

Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort
Habit
Flower
Flower
Flower
Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort Knotted Pearlwort
Lower leaves
Mid-stem leaves
Upper leaves
Upper leaves


Heath Pearlwort      Sagina subulata

Native in northern and western Britain but not in East Anglia, where it only occurs as a rare garden escape (a golden-leaved form is grown as a rockery plant). Flowers June to August. Flowers showy with full petals (unlike the commoner pearlwort species). Leaves needle-like on creeping stems, forming low, dense mats of foliage.

Heath Pearlwort Heath Pearlwort Heath Pearlwort Heath Pearlwort
Habit
Habit
Flowers
Flower