Spergularia media - Greater Sea-spurrey

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Equisetopsida - Order: Caryophyllales - Family: Caryophyllaceae

Where Greater Sea-spurrey (sometimes referred to a Media Sand-spurrey) occurs, it usually grows in profusion.

Identification

Greater Sea-spurrey is an annual/perennial plant with fleshy strap-like leaves. The white or more often pinkish flowers are 8 to 12mm across and have five petals that are backed by slightly shorter sepals.

Habitat

The various Sea-spurreys prefer dry sandy soils and plenty of sunshine. With the exception of Sand Spurrey Spergularia rubra and Corn Spurrey Spergularia arvensis the three other spurries which occur in the UK and Ireland - Greater Sea-spurrey Spergularia media, Lesser Sea Spurrey Spergularia marina and Rock Sea-spurrey Spergularia rupicola are all found on the coasts. (Sand Spurrey is common throughout the south and west of the UK and Ireland, and Corn Spurrey is widespread and common throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland.)

Above: Greater Sea-spurrey on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, Wales UK.

If you walk along the coastal paths of West Wales you will see plenty of these pretty summer flowers. They also grow in dry stone walls in some parts of Britain.

Above: Greater Sea-spurrey in the Algarve, Portugal.