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Key to Spergularia

Caryophyllaceae

Spergularia

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1 Stamens 6-10; seeds either 0.4-0.6 or 0.8-1.1 mm long; axillary leaf clusters of 2-4 leaves (or sometimes absent in S. media).
  2 Seeds 0.8-1.1 mm long, smooth, without sculpturing except for wings; leaf blades fleshy
  2 Seeds 0.4-0.6 mm long, sculptured with wavy lines, not winged but with peglike papillae; leaf blades scarcely fleshy
1 Stamens 1-5; seeds 0.5-0.7 (-0.8) mm long; axillary leaf clusters usually absent.
    3 Cymes simple to 2 ± compound or flowers solitary and axillary; seeds lacking a submarginal groove, 0.9-1.4 mm long; [NJ and Long Island northward]
    3 Cymes simple to 3 ± compound or flowers solitary and axillary (S. marina) OR 4-8 ± compound (S. echinosperma); seeds with a submarginal groove present, 0.5-0.7(-0.8) mm long; [collectively widespread].
      4 Seeds shiny and silvery; stipules wider than long; styles 0.3-0.4 mm long
      4 Seeds dull, not silvery; stipules longer than wide; styles 0.4-0.7 mm long