Very small and delicate flower.

[Meta menardi]

As I am sure many of us do, I have a little round, a small area that I patrol, my patch. I know what is on that patch, and hope nothing disappears, while watching for new stuff coming in.

Today, the road that I walk along was closed to traffic, so I stepped a little larger and more slowly whilst getting to where I turn off the road.

I have crossed this road at this spot hundreds of times, but today, with a little more chance to look around without being mashed by cars, I looked back and saw this flower. Very small, so delicately coloured and normally subject to every splash of salt, slush and pollution, but there it was.



I aspire to one day be a competent botanist (don't snigger, Venger, it isn't funny, well not very). What is it?

[agrumpycow]

Looks like a Spergularia sp. but given the location I'm not convinced

[JennyS]

That looks like Greater Sea-spurrey, Spergularia media

[AlanS]

Yes, it is a Spergularia, but not the one suggested.

This is Sand Spurrey, Spergularia rubra. The rather narrow petals (as compared with related species) and intensity of colour are helpful here, as we cannot see any of the truely diagnostic features. I was admiring a large population a couple of days ago, so my eye is "in" as it were.

It is locally common on tracks and in bare, often sandy places, is often overlooked right on the very edges of roads and is undoubtedly salt tolerant.

We do have two of the coastal species, S. marina and S. media, now spreading on inland roadsides where salt is applied, but their flowers are somewhat different.

Alan

[leifus]

yeah i'm going with Sand spurrey , Spegularia rubra as well because the sepals are longer than the flowers by the look of it

[Meta menardi]

Thank you very much all who have come back with IDs on this, it is not recorded in this area before. I will get a decent look at this, then it can go to the local record centre and the local authority.

It is so important things like this get recorded, this verge is due for an upgrade soon, hopefully they can watch out for this little plant. It's a tough little battler, it deserves it's bit of ground.