Sagina decumbens (Elliott) Torrey & A. Gray. Eastern Pearlwort, Annual Pearlwort. Phen: Feb-Jul. Hab: Disturbed ground, fields, cracks in pavement or sidewalks. Dist: NB west to IL and MO, south to c. peninsular FL and TX, with adventive occurrences farther west.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Crow (1978) and Crow in FNA (2005) treated S. decumbens and S. occidentalis S. Watson of the Pacific Coast of North America as subspecies. They differ primarily in seed architecture. Though clearly closely related, they seem equally well (and more simply) regarded as sibling species. A report of S. subulata (Swartz) C. Presl for Bedford County, VA, is apparently actually S. decumbens.
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, Fl4, G, Il, NcTx, NY, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Atha, Alvarez, & Chaya (2018); = Sagina decumbens (Elliott) Torr. & A.Gray ssp. decumbens – Ar, FNA5, GrPl, K1, K4, NE, Crow (1978)
Links to other floras: = Sagina decumbens ssp. decumbens - FNA5
Wetland Indicator Status:
Heliophily ⓘ: 9
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