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Key to Sabulina

Caryophyllaceae

Sabulina

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1
Flowers solitary in leaf axils; petals absent; [calcareous seepage, KY, TN, n. AL]
 ⇒ Sabulina fontinalis
1
Flowers (1-) 5-50+ in terminal corymbose cymes; petals present.
  2
Stems prostrate or decumbent, leafy throughout; [of moist habitats]
 ⇒ Sabulina paludicola
  2
Stems erect, leafy mostly near the base, the stem leaves few in number and reduced in size upward; [of moist to dry upland habitats].
    3
Seed surface pebbled-papillose; mature leaves narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, 1.5-3 mm wide; sepal nerves 3
 ⇒ Sabulina muscorum
    3
Seed surface tuberculate with low ridges, resembling a brain; mature leaves linear, < 1.5 mm wide; sepal nerves 3 or 5.
      4
Plants perennial from woody crowns; leaves rigid, with axillary fascicles; stem and inflorescence axes strictly glabrous; sepal nerves 3
 ⇒ Sabulina michauxii
      4
Plants either annual or perennial from slender wintering stems; leaves flexuous, lacking axillary fascicles; stem and inflorescence variously stipitate-glandular to glabrous, sepal nerves 3 or 5.
        5
Sepal nerves 3 (occasionally weakly 5), widely spaced, not appearing ribbed; inflorescences divaricately-branching at maturity, forming a diffuse tangled mound in robust specimens; seeds 0.8-0.9 mm across; flowering time centered May through June
 ⇒ Sabulina diffusa
        5
Sepal nerves 5, typically closely spaced and appearing elevated and ribbed (widely spaced in some specimens); inflorescences ascending to spreading at maturity; seeds 0.5-0.7 (-0.75) mm across; flowering time centered April through May
 ⇒ Sabulina patula