Caryophyllaceae

DICOTYLEDONS

CARYOPHYLLACEAE - Carnation Family

This family has over 2000 annual and perennial species (rarely shrubs), mostly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In Western Australia there are 11 native species and 26 naturalised ones. With one exception, the plants have opposite leaves, five petals - in some species notched or deeply cleft in two - and the base of the sepals fused into a tube. Arenaria serpyllifolia (thyme-leaved sandwort) is a small, erect, white-flowered annual herb, reaching 30cm in height. The petals are shorter than the sepals and are not notched. It flowers in spring and summer. It is a common weed of sandy calcareous soils, from Perth to Bunbury and is native to Europe. There are several small members of the Caryophyllaceae with which this species might be confused. It can be distinguished from introduced Sagina and Spergularia species by its ovate leaves and from Minuartia by its seed capsules that lack valves and have six (rather than three) teeth at the top. The capsules of Saginaand Spergularia are divided into four to five and three valves respectively. Arenarialacks stipules, as do Sagina and Minuartia, whereas Spergularia has stipules.

Arenaria serpyllifolia, GK

Three species of Cerastium (chickweeds) have been recorded in Western Australia, although they can be difficult to tell apart. All are annuals and reach a height of up to about 30cm. The flowers, produced in spring and early summer, often do not open fully. The petals are white and notched and the leaves are ovate. All are native to Europe. C. glomeratum (mouse-ear chickweed) is by far the most common; its flowers are in clusters and it is densely hairy all over. It is a weed of lawns, flower beds, horticultural areas and woodlands and shrublands on sandy soil from Shark Bay to Esperance. C. diffusum is very much less hairy and its flowers, although terminal, are not clustered. It is found on coastal limestone from Busselton to Augusta. C. semidecandrum (small mouse-ear chickweed) is a weed of coastal heath and shrubland from Busselton to Albany. This is similar to the previous species, but shorter and less branched. The sepals have transparent margins and it has shorter flower stalks than C. glomeratum.

Cerastium glomeratum , GK

Corrigiola litoralis (strapwort) is a prostrate annual, with clusters of tiny, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers, the petals of which have a purple central band on the outside. Its main distinguishing feature is that, unlike the other members of this family, its leaves are borne alternately along the stem, rather than in pairs. It is an often overlooked weed of roadsides and disturbed wetlands from Perth to Esperance. Flowers in summer. Native to Europe. Herniaria hirsuta (rupture wort) is an occasional weed of granite rocks in arid southern areas. It is a bristly-hairy, prostrate annual, native to the Mediterranean. Its flowers, produced in early summer, have no petals - only green sepals.

Corrigiola littoralis , GK

Minuartia mediterranea (sandwort) is a common weed of sandy calcareous soils from Perth to Bunbury, including Rottnest Island. It is an annual, up to 15cm, with small white flowers. The petals are about the same length as the narrower, pointed sepals. Distinguished from Saginaspecies by its simple, valveless capsule. Native to Europe.

Minuartia mediterranea , GK

Moenchia erecta (erect chickweed) is an annual to 10cm, with narrow, grey-green leaves and white flowers, produced in spring, with the petals slightly shorter than sepals. It is a scattered weed of pastures and tuart and acacia woodlands from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe.

Moenchia erecta , PH

Petrorhagia has only the one species in Western Australia. Previously thought to be present was P. nanteuilii (proliferous pink) a slender, erect annual to 60cm. The leaf-sheaths are up to twice as long as wide and the middle part of the stem is hairy. It has since been confirmed that these collections are all of P. velutina. P. velutina (velvet pink) is very similar to the previous species, but with leaf sheaths at least twice as long as wide and the middle part of the stem covered in short, glandular hairs. Weed of paddock edges, wasteland, road verges, granite rocks and disturbed woodlands and shrublands from Perth to Albany. Both native to Europe.

Petrorhagia velutina , PM

Polycarpon tetraphyllum (fourleaf allseed) is a widespread weed of gardens, limestone areas and tuart woodlands from Exmouth to Bunbury. It is a small, hairless annual to 15cm, with dark green ovate leaves. The flowers are produced in terminal clusters, mostly in spring, but sometimes into summer in irrigated gardens. Petals are tiny, membranous, and are almost hidden inside the calyx, which clasps the developing seed capsule. Native to Europe.

Polycarpon tetraphyllum , PM

Caryophyllaceae continued

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This family has over 2000 annual and perennial species (rarely shrubs), mostly in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In Western Australia there are 11 native species and 26 naturalised ones. With one exception, the plants have opposite leaves, five petals - in some species notched or deeply cleft in two - and the base of the sepals fused into a tube. *Arenaria serpyllifolia* (thyme-leaved sandwort) is a small, erect, white-flowered annual herb, reaching 30cm in height. The petals are shorter than the sepals and are not notched. It flowers in spring and summer. It is a common weed of sandy calcareous soils, from Perth to Bunbury and is native to Europe. There are several small members of the Caryophyllaceae with which this species might be confused. It can be distinguished from introduced Sagina and Spergularia species by its ovate leaves and from Minuartia by its seed capsules that lack valves and have six (rather than three) teeth at the top. The capsules of Saginaand Spergularia are divided into four to five and three valves respectively. Arenarialacks stipules, as do Sagina and Minuartia, whereas Spergularia has stipules.	*Arenaria serpyllifolia*, GK
Three species of *Cerastium* (chickweeds) have been recorded in Western Australia, although they can be difficult to tell apart. All are annuals and reach a height of up to about 30cm. The flowers, produced in spring and early summer, often do not open fully. The petals are white and notched and the leaves are ovate. All are native to Europe. *C. glomeratum* (mouse-ear chickweed) is by far the most common; its flowers are in clusters and it is densely hairy all over. It is a weed of lawns, flower beds, horticultural areas and woodlands and shrublands on sandy soil from Shark Bay to Esperance. *C. diffusum* is very much less hairy and its flowers, although terminal, are not clustered. It is found on coastal limestone from Busselton to Augusta. *C. semidecandrum* (small mouse-ear chickweed) is a weed of coastal heath and shrubland from Busselton to Albany. This is similar to the previous species, but shorter and less branched. The sepals have transparent margins and it has shorter flower stalks than C. glomeratum.	*Cerastium* *glomeratum* , GK
*Corrigiola litoralis* (strapwort) is a prostrate annual, with clusters of tiny, inconspicuous greenish-white flowers, the petals of which have a purple central band on the outside. Its main distinguishing feature is that, unlike the other members of this family, its leaves are borne alternately along the stem, rather than in pairs. It is an often overlooked weed of roadsides and disturbed wetlands from Perth to Esperance. Flowers in summer. Native to Europe. *Herniaria hirsuta* (rupture wort) is an occasional weed of granite rocks in arid southern areas. It is a bristly-hairy, prostrate annual, native to the Mediterranean. Its flowers, produced in early summer, have no petals - only green sepals.	*Corrigiola littoralis* , GK
*Minuartia mediterranea* (sandwort) is a common weed of sandy calcareous soils from Perth to Bunbury, including Rottnest Island. It is an annual, up to 15cm, with small white flowers. The petals are about the same length as the narrower, pointed sepals. Distinguished from Saginaspecies by its simple, valveless capsule. Native to Europe.	*Minuartia mediterranea* , GK
*Moenchia erecta* (erect chickweed) is an annual to 10cm, with narrow, grey-green leaves and white flowers, produced in spring, with the petals slightly shorter than sepals. It is a scattered weed of pastures and tuart and acacia woodlands from Perth to Albany. Native to Europe.	*Moenchia erecta* , PH
*Petrorhagia* has only the one species in Western Australia. Previously thought to be present was *P. nanteuilii* (proliferous pink) a slender, erect annual to 60cm. The leaf-sheaths are up to twice as long as wide and the middle part of the stem is hairy. It has since been confirmed that these collections are all of *P. velutina. P. velutina* (velvet pink) is very similar to the previous species, but with leaf sheaths at least twice as long as wide and the middle part of the stem covered in short, glandular hairs. Weed of paddock edges, wasteland, road verges, granite rocks and disturbed woodlands and shrublands from Perth to Albany. Both native to Europe.	*Petrorhagia* *velutina* , PM
*Polycarpon tetraphyllum* (fourleaf allseed) is a widespread weed of gardens, limestone areas and tuart woodlands from Exmouth to Bunbury. It is a small, hairless annual to 15cm, with dark green ovate leaves. The flowers are produced in terminal clusters, mostly in spring, but sometimes into summer in irrigated gardens. Petals are tiny, membranous, and are almost hidden inside the calyx, which clasps the developing seed capsule. Native to Europe.	*Polycarpon tetraphyllum* , PM