Common name: Corn Spurry
Spergula arvensis L. APNI*
Description: Herb branching near the base, stems usually erect or ascending; glandular hairs present on stems, leaves and sepals.
Leaves 7–35 mm long, c. 0.5 mm wide.
Pedicels 5–20 mm long, sharply reflexed after flowering but often becoming erect again as fruit matures. Sepals 3–4 mm long. Stamens 10.
Capsule ovoid; seeds orbicular, c. 1 mm in diam., occasionally with white papillae, with a scarious wing or keel much narrower than the diam. of the seed body.
Distribution and occurrence: Weed of cultivated land, almost cosmop. Native of N Asia, Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *CWS, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by A. Doust
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.