Sagina japonica

Species: Sagina japonica

English Name: Japanese Pearlwort

Chinese Name: 漆姑草

Family: Caryophyllaceae

Description:
Herbs annual or biennial. Stems tufted, suberect or creeping, 5–20 cm tall, slender, basally branched, apically glandular hairy. Leaves linear, 5–20 × 0.8–1.5 mm, glabrous, connate at base, acute and minutely spine tipped. Flower solitary, terminal or axillary. Pedicel erect, 1–2 cm, sparsely pubescent. Sepals 5, ovate-elliptic, ca. 2 mm, glandular hairy, apex obtuse. Petals 5, ovate, slightly shorter than sepals, apex rounded. Stamens 5. Ovary ovoid; styles 5. Capsule globose, slightly longer than sepals, 5-valved. Seeds brown, reniform-globose, not grooved, sharply tuberculate. Fl. Apr–May, fr. May–Jun. 2n = 46, 64.

Photos used under a Creative Commons license

References:

– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2001). Flora of China, Volume 6: Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis