''Minuartia howellii'' is an uncommon species of flowering plant in the family
Caryophyllaceae known by the common names Howell's stitchwort and Howell's sandwort.
It is native to the
Klamath Mountains of northwestern
California and southwestern
Oregon. It grows in
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 in
chaparral
Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant community and geographical feature found primarily in the U.S. state of California, in southern Oregon, and in the northern portion of the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico. It is shaped by a Mediterranean c ...
and woodland habitat.
Description
''Minuartia howellii'' is a slightly hairy annual herb growing to a maximum height of 30 centimeters with a slender green stem which turns purple with age.
The thin, rigid, almost needlelike leaves are linear or narrowly lance-shaped, up to 1.5 centimeters long and under 2 millimeters wide.
The tiny flower has five white petals each a few millimeters long and smaller, ribbed
sepals.
External links
Calflora: ''Minuartia howellii''Jepson Manual TreatmentUSDA Plants ProfileFlora of North AmericaPhoto gallery
howellii
Flora of California
Flora of Oregon
Flora of the Klamath Mountains
Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands
Flora without expected TNC conservation status
{{Caryophyllaceae-stub