Sandspurrey
Spergularia rubra (L.) J.S. & C. Presl

Synonyms - Spergularia campestris, Arenaria rubra var. campestris

Family: - Caryophyllaceae.

Names:

Spergularia is from the German name for this group of plants.

Rubra is for red and refers to the pink flowers.

Sandspurrey

Other names:

Sand Spurrey

Red Sandspurrey.

Summary:

An open, annual to short lived perennial plant about 100 mm high and 200 mm wide with rings of cylindrical leaves and 5 petalled, pink flowers in spring.

Description:

Cotyledons:

Two.

Leaves:

Opposite and appear to be in rings around the stem. Grey green.

Stipules - Papery. Tip pointed. Encircle the stem.

Petiole - None.

Blade - Parallel sided, cylindrical and flattened on one side. 7-20 mm long. young leaves hairy and become hairless with age.

Stems:

Lie on ground or bend upwards, several stems from the base, mat forming, about 100 mm high. Usually hairless at the base of stems with glandular, sticky hairs on the flower head and young shoots.

Flower head:

On stalks, 3-8 mm long in the upper leaf axils or at the ends of stems in leafy cymes, typically short but occasionally long and racemose, short leaves at the base of most flower stalks(pedicels).

Flowers:

Pink.

Ovary - 3 styles.

Sepals - 5, 3 mm long, papery edges. Glandular hairy

Petals - 5, pink, 3 mm long, smooth edges.

Stamens - 6-10. Usually 7-8 rarely 3 or 5.

Anthers -

Fruit:

3-8 mm long, globular capsule. 3 valves (alternate to the sepals) opening to the base to release many seeds. On a stalk, 3-8 mm long that is erect or bent back.

Seeds:

Light to dark brown, very small, swollen along back, minutely warty, wingless or encircled by a narrow membranous wing.

Roots:

Key Characters:

Glandular hairs at least on the calyx.

Leaves linear-terete, with papery edges, stipitate often appearing whorled.

Styles 3, free.

Sepals 3-5 mm long, free or almost so, usually with 1 central nerve, rarely 3 nerved.

Stamens 5-10.

Capsule 3 valved, equalling or exceeding the calyx.

Seeds without wings, many.

From J.M. Black, N.T. Burbidge.

Biology:

Life cycle:

Annual to short lived perennial. It may produce leaves throughout the year but grows mainly in spring and early summer and flowers from spring to summer.

Physiology:

Salt tolerant.

Reproduction:

By seed.

Flowering times:

Spring and summer in western NSW.

Spring and summer in SA.

Spring in WA.

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

None.

Hybrids:

Variety pinguis has longer stem internodes, more fleshy leaves, 15-50 mm long, cymes racemose, sepals 4-5 mm long, stamens 5-10 mm, fruiting pedicels sometimes reflexed, 5-25 mm long, capsule slightly longer than the calyx, seeds black or brown, tuberculate.

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Spread by seed.

Origin and History:

Europe.

Distribution:

ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.

Habitats:

Wet, salt affected areas but tolerant of most soil types.

Climate:

Temperate.

Soil:

Most soil types.

Often most abundant on duplex saline soils.

Plant Associations:

Many.

Significance:

Beneficial:

Palatable fodder but only produces small amounts.

Used to provide cover on salt scalds and as a coloniser for bare areas.

Detrimental:

Weed of gardens, garden paths, cultivation, islands, estuary shores, saline areas and disturbed ground.

Toxicity:

Not recorded as toxic.

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Remove isolated plants.

Prevent seed set.

Apply 1 litre of Tordon 75-D in 100 litres of water to small infestations in winter each year and plant a competitive grass.

Herbicide resistance:

Biological Control:

Related plants:

Lesser Sandspurrey (Spergularia diandra)

Salt Sandspurrey (Spergularia marina)

Coast Sandspurrey (Spergularia media).

Plants of similar appearance:

Spergula arvensis is similar but has white petals and leafless cymes.

References:

Black, J.M. (1965). Flora of South Australia. (Government Printer, Adelaide, South Australia). P356.

Burbidge, N.T. and Gray, M. (1970). Flora of the Australian Capital Territory. (Australian National University Press, Canberra). P167-168. Diagram.

Cunningham, G.M., Mulham, W.E., Milthorpe, P.L. and Leigh, J.H. (1992). Plants of Western New South Wales. (Inkata Press, Melbourne). P306. Photo.

Hussey, B.M.J., Keighery, G.J., Cousens, R.D., Dodd, J. and Lloyd, S.G. (1997). Western Weeds. A guide to the weeds of Western Australia. (Plant Protection Society of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia). P132. Photo.

Lamp, C. and Collet, F. (1990). A Field Guide to Weeds in Australia. (Inkata Press, Melbourne).

Lazarides, M. and Hince, B. (1993). CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #1154.4.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.