Southwest Colorado Wildflowers, Spergularia rubra

Spergularia rubra (Sand Spurrey)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)

Montane. Meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork Road, August 15, 2011.

Spergularia rubra is a European/Asian species that appears infrequently in sandy areas in the Four Corners region. Welsh indicates that this plant has been in the U.S. since at least the mid-1800s and that perhaps it is native. Click to see it in its native habitat in England.

Fleshy leaves (often having a very fine tip) are opposite and often in groups at the swollen nodes. The base of the leaves has a triangular, papery stipule.

In 1753 Linnaeus named this plant Arenaria rubra and Carel Presl renamed it Spergularia rubra in 1819. "Spergularia" means similar to the genus "Spergula" and that genus name is of unknown origin and meaning.

Weber places S. rubra in Alsinaceae.

Spergularia rubra (Sand Spurrey)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)

Montane. Meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork Road, August 15, 2011.

A very young plant begins its growth late in the season.

Spergularia rubra (Sand Spurrey)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)

Montane. Meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork Road, August 15, 2011.

Sepals have a white margin and much of the plant has short, white, glandular hairs.

This photograph also shows the fleshy, finely pointed leaves and the triangular, papery stipules (at the base of the leaves).

Spergularia rubra (Sand Spurrey)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink Family)

Montane. Meadows. Summer.
Colorado Trail above Roaring Fork Road, August 15, 2011.

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Spergularia rubra

Range map for Spergularia rubra