HerbWildAnnual

Spergularia marina (L.) Besser

Kalri booti

Synonym: Arenaria marina L

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Description

Spergularia marina is a small annual or short-lived perennial herb, usually 5–30 cm tall, with prostrate to ascending, much-branched stems. Leaves are opposite, narrow, fleshy, linear, and accompanied by scarious stipules at the nodes. Flowers are small, white to pale pink, with five petals, borne singly or in small cymes. Fruits are ovoid capsules that split open to release numerous small black seeds.

Diagnostic Characters

Vegetative

Low-growing succulent herb with opposite fleshy linear leaves and scarious stipules.

Floral

Small white to pale pink five-petaled flowers.

Fruit & Seed

Small capsules containing numerous black seeds.

Distribution

Native range: Europe, Asia, and North America.

In Pakistan: Occurs in saline habitats of Pakistan, particularly in coastal areas and inland salt marshes.

Phenology

Flowering

Fruiting

Flowering: March–July Fruiting: April–August

Ethnobotany & Uses

Uses

Contributes to the stabilization of saline soils. Provides food and habitat for small invertebrates in coastal ecosystems. Useful indicator of saline and alkaline habitats.

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Where it grows on campus

This species is on the campus floristic list but was not pinned during the GPS mapping survey, so it has no map records yet.

Taxonomic Notes

Spergularia marina is distinguished by its fleshy linear leaves, scarious stipules, and preference for saline habitats. It is accepted by Flora of Pakistan, Plants of the World Online (POWO), and World Flora Online (WFO).