Caryophyllaceae

DICOTYLEDONS

CARYOPHYLLACEAE - Carnation Family

Three species of Sagina (pearlworts) are found in the State (seeArenaria for a guide to distinguish them from other genera). Petals are either absent or minute and the leaves are narrow and pointed. S. apetala (common pearlwort) is an erect annual herb to 10cm. The flowers are produced in loose, terminal clusters in spring. The petals are absent or so small that they are difficult to see. It is a scattered weed of turf, gardens, wasteland, verges, granite rocks, salt lake margins and woodlands from Perth to Esperance. Native to Europe and western Asia.

Sagina apetala , PH

S. maritima (sea pearlwort) is found on granite rocks and limestone heaths from Perth to Albany.It is an annual, with small white petals much shorter than the sepals (but clearly visible). The leaves are not as pointed as the previous species. Native to Europe. S. procumbens (spreading pearlwort) is a compact, prostrate perennial to 5cm in height. It is a common weed of plant nurseries and a scattered weed of granite rocks and woodlands from Perth to Albany. The flowers are produced singly in winter and early spring. Native to Northern Hemisphere temperate regions.

S. maritima, GK

Silene gallica (French catchfly) is a weed of disturbed areas, including agricultural land, from Perth to Albany. It is an erect or spreading annual to 50cm, with flowers mostly on one side of the stem, produced from winter to early summer. The stems, leaves and calyces are covered in glandular hairs and may be sticky to the touch. The petals are deeply notched, in one of two colour forms: var. gallica, a pale pink, and var. quinquevulnera, dark red in the centre and pink at the edges. Native to Europe.

Silene gallica var. quinquevulnera, RC

S. nocturna (Mediterranean catchfly) is an annual herb to 50cm, covered in glandular hairs and quite sticky to the touch. The petals are pale pink and deeply cleft. The seed capsule is more cylindrical than the previous species. Flowers in spring. It is a scattered weed of disturbed habitats from Shark Bay to Albany. Native of southern Europe. S. vulgaris (bladder campion) is the only introduced species of Silene with a hairless, inflated calyx to 10-12mm long. It is a slender perennial to 70cm tall, with lanceolate, grey-green leaves and white, deeply cleft petals 1-2cm long. It is a garden escape, occasionally found in wasteland from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe and western Asia. Flowers in winter and spring.

Silene gallica var. gallica, PH

Spergula arvensis (corn spurrey) is an annual to 30cm. It is characterised by whorls of narrow, fleshy leaves up to 3.5cm long. The petals are white, 2-4mm long and not notched. Flowers in spring. It is a weed of cropland, verges, wasteland and urban bushland from Perth to Albany and an infrequent weed of horticulture in the Manjimup area. Native to Europe and Asia.

Spergula arvensis , RR

The genus Spergularia (sand spurrey)can be distinguished from other similar small Caryophyllaceae by the presence of stipules (small appendages at the bases of the leaves), see also the notes under Arenaria. S. diandra (small sand spurrey) is a scattered weed of disturbed wetlands from Shark Bay to Esperance. It is a low, spreading or ascending annual with white or pink petals about as long as the sepals. Its stipules are about as long as they are wide (whereas the following two species have stipules longer than wide). The sepals are 2-3mm long (compared with 3-5mm long in the next two species). S. marina (salt sand spurrey) is an annual, spreading herb with pink petals. It is a scattered weed of salt scalds and disturbed wetlands from Perth to Ravensthorpe. S. rubra (red sand spurrey) is an annual or biennial with pink petals. It can be distinguished from the previous species by its stipules not being markedly fused at the base into a ring and by having usually eight rather than four stamens. It is a weed of estuarine margins, islands and saline areas from Perth to Esperance. All are native to Europe and flower in spring.

Spergularia rubra , PM

Stellaria media (common chickweed) is a sprawling annual herb, found in wasteland, verges, gardens, horticultural areas and urban bushland from Perth to Albany. It is mostly hairless, except for a distinctive single row of hairs on the stems. Petals are white, deeply cleft and shorter than the sepals. Flowers in winter. Native to Europe.

Stellaria media , RR

Vaccaria hispanica (cowcockle) is an uncommon garden escape and crop weed, recorded from wasteland and crops in the south-west. An erect annual, to 60cm. It has pink petals and hairless, blue-green leaves. Flowers in spring. Native of Europe.

Vaccaria hispanica , RR

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Three species of *Sagina* (pearlworts) are found in the State (seeArenaria for a guide to distinguish them from other genera). Petals are either absent or minute and the leaves are narrow and pointed. S. apetala (common pearlwort) is an erect annual herb to 10cm. The flowers are produced in loose, terminal clusters in spring. The petals are absent or so small that they are difficult to see. It is a scattered weed of turf, gardens, wasteland, verges, granite rocks, salt lake margins and woodlands from Perth to Esperance. Native to Europe and western Asia.	*Sagina* *apetala* , PH
*S. maritima* (sea pearlwort) is found on granite rocks and limestone heaths from Perth to Albany.It is an annual, with small white petals much shorter than the sepals (but clearly visible). The leaves are not as pointed as the previous species. Native to Europe. *S. procumbens* (spreading pearlwort) is a compact, prostrate perennial to 5cm in height. It is a common weed of plant nurseries and a scattered weed of granite rocks and woodlands from Perth to Albany. The flowers are produced singly in winter and early spring. Native to Northern Hemisphere temperate regions.	*S. maritima*, GK
*Silene gallica* (French catchfly) is a weed of disturbed areas, including agricultural land, from Perth to Albany. It is an erect or spreading annual to 50cm, with flowers mostly on one side of the stem, produced from winter to early summer. The stems, leaves and calyces are covered in glandular hairs and may be sticky to the touch. The petals are deeply notched, in one of two colour forms: var. *gallica, a pale pink, and var. quinquevulnera*, dark red in the centre and pink at the edges. Native to Europe.	*Silene gallica* var. *quinquevulnera*, RC
*S. nocturna* (Mediterranean catchfly) is an annual herb to 50cm, covered in glandular hairs and quite sticky to the touch. The petals are pale pink and deeply cleft. The seed capsule is more cylindrical than the previous species. Flowers in spring. It is a scattered weed of disturbed habitats from Shark Bay to Albany. Native of southern Europe. *S. vulgaris* (bladder campion) is the only introduced species of Silene with a hairless, inflated calyx to 10-12mm long. It is a slender perennial to 70cm tall, with lanceolate, grey-green leaves and white, deeply cleft petals 1-2cm long. It is a garden escape, occasionally found in wasteland from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe and western Asia. Flowers in winter and spring.	*Silene gallica* var. *gallica*, PH
*Spergula arvensis* (corn spurrey) is an annual to 30cm. It is characterised by whorls of narrow, fleshy leaves up to 3.5cm long. The petals are white, 2-4mm long and not notched. Flowers in spring. It is a weed of cropland, verges, wasteland and urban bushland from Perth to Albany and an infrequent weed of horticulture in the Manjimup area. Native to Europe and Asia.	*Spergula arvensis* , RR
The genus *Spergularia* (sand spurrey)can be distinguished from other similar small Caryophyllaceae by the presence of stipules (small appendages at the bases of the leaves), see also the notes under Arenaria. *S. diandra* (small sand spurrey) is a scattered weed of disturbed wetlands from Shark Bay to Esperance. It is a low, spreading or ascending annual with white or pink petals about as long as the sepals. Its stipules are about as long as they are wide (whereas the following two species have stipules longer than wide). The sepals are 2-3mm long (compared with 3-5mm long in the next two species). *S. marina* (salt sand spurrey) is an annual, spreading herb with pink petals. It is a scattered weed of salt scalds and disturbed wetlands from Perth to Ravensthorpe. *S. rubra* (red sand spurrey) is an annual or biennial with pink petals. It can be distinguished from the previous species by its stipules not being markedly fused at the base into a ring and by having usually eight rather than four stamens. It is a weed of estuarine margins, islands and saline areas from Perth to Esperance. All are native to Europe and flower in spring.	*Spergularia* *rubra* , PM
*Stellaria media* (common chickweed) is a sprawling annual herb, found in wasteland, verges, gardens, horticultural areas and urban bushland from Perth to Albany. It is mostly hairless, except for a distinctive single row of hairs on the stems. Petals are white, deeply cleft and shorter than the sepals. Flowers in winter. Native to Europe.	*Stellaria media* , RR
*Vaccaria hispanica* (cowcockle) is an uncommon garden escape and crop weed, recorded from wasteland and crops in the south-west. An erect annual, to 60cm. It has pink petals and hairless, blue-green leaves. Flowers in spring. Native of Europe.	*Vaccaria hispanica* , RR