''Minuartia decumbens'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae known by the common names The Lassics sandwort and Lassicus stitchwort. The species was described in 1981 from the type specimen observed on Mule Ridge in a string of peaks known as The Lassics.Nelson, T. W. & J. P. Nelson. (1981). A new species of ''Minuartia'' (Caryophyllaceae) from northwest California. ''Brittonia'' 33:2 162-4.

Distribution

It is endemic to California, where it is known from only a single occurrence in the isolated inland mountains of the North Coast Ranges in Trinity County near the Humboldt County line. It grows in the

serpentine soil Serpentine soil is an uncommon soil type produced by weathered ultramafic rock such as peridotite and its metamorphic derivatives such as serpentinite. More precisely, serpentine soil contains minerals of the serpentine subgroup, especially anti ...

s of the mountain forests among

Jeffrey Pine ''Pinus jeffreyi'', also known as Jeffrey pine, Jeffrey's pine, yellow pine and black pine, is a North American pine tree. It is mainly found in California, but also in the westernmost part of Nevada, southwestern Oregon, and northern Baja Califo ...

Description

''Minuartia decumbens'' is a low, mat-forming perennial herb growing a in a clump a few centimeters high from a thin, woody taproot. The narrow, rigid, sometimes needle-like leaves are under a centimeter long and no more than 2 millimeters wide. The tiny flowers have purple-tipped sepals a few millimeters long and five white petals which are slightly smaller.

References

External links

Jepson Manual Treatment: ''Minuartia decumbens''USDA Plants Profile: ''Minuartia decumbens''Flora of North America
decumbens Endemic flora of California Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of Trinity County, California Plants described in 1981 Critically endangered flora of California {{Caryophyllaceae-stub