Stipulicida setacea Michx. - Pineland ScalyPink
Family - Caryophyllaceae
Stems:
Leaves:
Scalelike and minute - see photo above.
Inflorescence:
N/A
Flowers:
Calyx close-up.
Flowering - April - September.
Habitat - Xeric, sandy ground of pinelands and scrub.
Origin - Native to North America.
Other information - This little species can be found in the southern portion of Alabama in counties with sandy soils. The plant is easy to identify in the field because of its habitat, its thin, dichotomously-branched stems, and its tiny white flowers. No other species resembles this one.
The genus name Stipulicida perhaps derives from the Greek "stupe" meaning "fibers, tow (the fibrous remnants of hemp)" pertaining to the stems of the plant.
The species epithet setacea derives from the Latin "set(a)" meaning "a bristle" referring to the tiny leaves of the plant.
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken at Fort Benning, GA., 5-6-05.