Botanical art
Prior names
Arenaria diandra
Common names
Small Sand-spurrey
Lesser Sand-spurrey
Etymology
Spergularia is derived from the genus Spergula, first used by De l'Obel for Sagina spergula which is now known as Spergula amensis, and probably derived from the Latinisation of Spergel, the German name of this plant or from the Latin 'spargo' meaning sow or scatter; referring to the discharge of seeds. Diandra means with two stamens.
Distribution and status
Found across South Australia but mainly in the southern part, growing in salt flats and clay pans among semi-arid chenopod shrublands, floodplain woodlands and mallee communities. Also found in Western Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Naturalised. Common in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Perennial or annual slender herb with a taproot and decumbent to ascending stems to 20 cm high, glabrous towards the base, glandular-pubescent above but sometimes entirely glabrous except for a few glandular hairs on the pedicels and sepals. Leaves filiform, to 3 cm long and 1 mm wide, fleshy, mostly mucronulate. Inflorescence a loose spike covered in dense hairs with pink flowers. Flowering between September and October. Fruits are brown sub-globular capsule to 2 mm long hanging down on a long stalk. Seeds are dark brown to black reniform to triangular seeds to 0.5 mm long and 0.4 mm wide, covered with tubercules along the outer margin only. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between September and November. Collect capsules that are maturing, fat and turning brown and contain hard dark seeds. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand or with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Be very careful as the seeds are very small. Seeds should be hard and brown. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.