THREE-NERVED SANDWORT

THREE-VEINED SANDWORT

Moehringia trinervia

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]

month8apr month8april month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8white
inner
inner8green
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZbisexual

17th May 2007, Kern Farm, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
These specimens straggling about close to the Earth.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
A straggly annual up to 40cm long but rarely reaching that height on account of rampant agoraphobia, preferring to lie about close to the ground, but can also be erect.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Flowers on long slender stalks. Leaves pointed ovate.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Hairy-edged leaves somewhat wavy. Flower has 5 white petals, and a long white three-pronged stigma.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The five sepals are long and pointed, twice as long as the petals.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
A green ovary grows in the centre.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Surrounded by 10 narrow white stamens. Sepals are paler at the edges.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Petals are rounded at the ends.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
A young leafy branch. Stems of leaves may redden. Leaves have three (to five) veins (nerves) and a short spicule at the tip.


10th April 2014, Yarrow Valley Country Park, Adlington, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Young leaves not yet taking on their broad-lanceolate shape. The nerves are better seen from the rear of the leaf.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
An established plant sprawling about behind a tree on a disused railway embankment.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Their near-symmetry is striking when isolated.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
With flowers turning to fruit. Sepals long and narrow.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Leaf veins 3 to 5, and visible either by transmitted light.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Leaf-veins not as obvious from the front.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Leaf veins prominent from behind.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The plant is covered in short curled-over hairs.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Flower turned to fruit (which still has the stigmas attached) within the long narrow sepals, which have a thin white broad border.


9th June 2018, Waitby Greenriggs, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The as-yet un-ripe fruit.


Not to be semantically confused with : Sand Spurrey, Sand Catchfly, Sand Crocus, Sand Pansy, Sand Leek, [plants with similar names]

The leaves are like those of : Chickweeds, such as Greater Chickweed (Stellaria neglecta) and Water Chickweed (Myosotum aquaticum) but the flowers do not have deep cuts in them as these do but un-like those of any other Sandwort.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature :

Widespread and fairy common on rich humus soils of ancient woodlands or hedges, but decreasing. There are numerous plants with the common name 'Sandwort', but many are in differing Genera such as Arenaria, Minuartia, Honckenya except this one which is in the Moeringia genus with just one species within.


  Moehringia trinervia  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Caryophyllaceae  

Distribution
 family8Carnation & Campion (Pink) family8Caryophyllaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Moehringia
Moehringia
(Three-Nerved Sandwort)

THREE-NERVED SANDWORT

THREE-VEINED SANDWORT

Moehringia trinervia

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]