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)

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
• Great Plains: FAC
• Midwest: FAC
• Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily: 9