**Spergularia bocconei (Scheele) Merino, Boccone's Sand Spurrey, and**

**Spergula arvensis, Spurry, (Caryophyllaceae)**

**Description**. Annual, mat- to mound-like, 8-20 cm wide,from a tap
root; stems spreading to prostrate, branched, glabrous to somewhat
glandular. Leaves opposite, 10-20 mm long, linear, entire, somewhat
succulent, glabrous, apices acute; stipules 2-4 mm long, triangular,
acuminate. Flowers generally in terminal, somewhat one-sided clusters,
sometimes axillary, pedicels often minutely glandular; sepals five, 2-4
mm long, lanceolate to ovate, fused into a short tube at base, lobe
margins scarious; petals 5, shorter than sepals, pinkish to white;
stamens (6)8-10; ovary superior, with a 3-lobed style. Fruit a capsule;
seeds several, surface rugose to papillose, brown. In California,
flowering from March to July. (Abrams 1944, Clapham et al. 1962, Hartman
1993, Monnier and Ratter 1964, Munz 1959).

*Spergularia villosa* (villous sand spurrey), another alien species, is
a perennial with viscid-glandular stems, filiform cauline leaves,
axillary clusters of 2-4 leaves, and black, prominently winged seeds
(Abrams 1944, Hartman 1993). *Spergula arvensis* (spurry), differs from
*Spergularia* by apparently whorled leves, composed of dense axillary
fascicles of 8-15 leaves, and an ovary with 5 style branches. The petals
are ovate and ± equal to the sepals (Clapham et al. 1962, Fernald 1950,
Hartman 1993, Larson 1986, Monnier and Ratter 1964).

**Geographic distribution**. *Spergularia bocconei*, a native of Europe,
is naturalized in California and southern Oregon, Australia, New
Zealand, and southern Africa (Arnold and de Wet 1993, Chapman 1991,
Hartman 1993, Webb et al. 1988). *Spergularia villosa* is a native of
South America and apparently naturalized only in California and southern
Oregon (Hartman 1993, Munz 1959). *Spergula arvensis*, a native of
Europe, is naturalized throughout North America, Chile, Australia, New
Zealand, Japan, southern Africa, and Hawaii (Arnold and de Wet 1993,
Chapman 1991, Gleason and Cronquist 1991, Larson 1986, Montenergo et al.
1991, Ohwi 1965, Wagner et al. 1990, Webb et al. 1988).

*Spergula arvensis* was reported from central California (Mount Diablo)
as early as 1865 by Brewer et al. (1876), but the earliest records of
*Spergularia bocconei* and *S. villosa* are unclear, perhaps as a result
of early taxonomic confusion with other *Spergularia* species.
Consequently, *Spergularia bocconei* was not recognized as occurring in
California until Munz (1959), but it may have been collected and
reported under earlier names (Jepson 1925). *Spergularia villosa* (as
*S. clevelandii*) was first recognizd in California (San Francisco, near
San Diego) by Jepson (1914), where it had become established by the late
19th century.

*Spergularia bocconei* occurs on Anacapa, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz
islands. *Spergularia villosa* and *Spergula* *arvensis* are known from
Santa Rosa Island (Junak et al. 1997). Both species of *Spergularia*
occur in the coastal counties and the Great Central Valley. *Spergula
arvensis* is widespread in most coastal counties (Anonymous 1998,
Hartman 1993).

**Reproductive and vegetative biology**. No literature was found on the
reproductive or vegetative biology of *Spergularia*. However, other
members of Caryophyllaceae, with similar flowers, are generally
self-compatible and pollinated by small insects (Proctor et al. 1996,
Richards 1986). *Spergula arvensis* is primarily autogamous and thus
largely self-pollinated (New 1959, Richards 1986). Each capsule produces
from 5 to 25 seeds and individual plants may produce up to 7,500 seeds.
In cultivated fields infested by *Spergula*, densities of 4 to 23
million seeds per hectare have been reported (Champness and Morris 1948,
Roberts 1958). Seeds of *Spergula arvensis* have been reported to remain
viable for as long as 1,600 years (Odum 1965). It also has a seed coat
polymorphism that is correlated with different patterns of germination
(New 1958, 1961). Papillate seeds germinate at higher rates than smooth
seeds at 21 degrees C, but less so at lower temperatures.

Seed dimorphism similar to *S. villosa* has been studied in *S. marina*
and *S. media* (Sterk 1969, Sterk and Dijkhuizen 1972). In both of them,
winged seeds are advantageous over unwinged seeds with respect to
dispersability.

**Ecological distribution**. Species of *Spergularia* occur on disturbed
sites, beach dunes, and frequently occur on alkaline soils (Wagner et
al. 1990, Webb et al. 1988). Although similar with respect to
disturbance preferences, *Spergula arvensis* also tends to occur on
acidic, vernally moist soils (Clapham et al. 1962).

**Weed status.** Neither species of *Spergularia* are considered noxious
weeds in agricultural or horticultural practice, at least at a global
level (not listed by Holm et al. 1977), nor are they considered noxious
by the State Dept. of Food and Agriculture (Anonymous 1996). Neither
species are listed by Lorenzi and Jeffery (1987). However, *Spergula
arvensis* is considered a noxious weed in Holm et al. (1977), and is
listed for the United States by Lorenzi and Jeffery (1987). In Britain
it is considered rare and local, primarily in coastal areas (Clapham et
al. 1962).

**Microbial and insect pathogens.** No literature was found that
reported microbial or insect pathogens of either *Spergularia* or
*Spergula*.

**Herbicide control**. No literature was found that reported herbicide
control of *Spergularia*. Lorenzi and Jeffery (1987) recommend dicamba
or paraquat for the control of *Spergula arvensis*.

**Literature Cited**

Anonymous. 1996. Exotic pest plants of greatest ecological concern in
California as of August 1996. California Exotic Pest Plant Council. 8
pp.

Anonymous. 1998. USDA Plants Database, Baton Rouge, LA. URL =
usda.plants.gov.

Abrams, L. (ed.) Illustrated flora of the Pacific states. Volume 2.
Polygonaceae to Krameriaceae. Stanford University Press, Stanford,
California. 635 pp.

Arnold, T. and B. de Wet. 1993. Memoir 62. Plants of southern Africa:
names and distribution. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria. 825 pp.

Brewer, W., S. Watson, and A. Gray. 1876. Geological Survey of
California. Volume 1. John Wilson, University Press, Cambridge,
Massachusetts. 622 pp.

Champness, S. and K. Morris. 1948. The population of buried viable seeds
in relation to contrasting pasture and soil types. Journal of Ecology
36: 149-173.

Chapman, A. 1991. Australian plant name index. Q-Z. Australian
Government Publishing Service, Canberra. pp. 2477-3055.

Fernald, M. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. 8th edition. American Book
Company, New York. 1632 pp.

Gleason, H. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of the vascular plants of
northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. 2nd edition. New York
Botanic Garden, Bronx. 910 pp.

Hartman, R. 1993. Caryophyllaceae. pp. 475-497. In J. Hickman (ed.) The
Jepson Manual: higher vascular plants of California. University of
California Press, Berkeley. 1400 pp.

Holm, L., D. Plucknett, J. Pancho, and J. Herberger. 1977. The world's
worst weeds: distribution and ecology. University Press of Hawaii,
Honolulu. 609 pp.

Jepson, W. 1914. A flora of California. Volume 1. Part 5. University of
California, Berkeley. 578 pp.

Jepson, W. 1925. A manual of the flowering plants of California.
University of California, Berkeley. 1238 pp.

Junak, S., T. Ayers, R. Scott, D. Wilken, and D. Young. 1995. A flora of
Santa Cruz Island. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and California Native
Plant Society, Santa Barbara and Sacramento. 397 pp.

Larson, G. 1986. Caryophyllaceae. pp. 192-214. In Great Plains Flora
Association. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. University of Kansas,
Lawrence. 1392 pp.

Lorenzi, H. and L. Jeffery. 1987. Weeds of the United States and their
control. Van Nostrand Company, New York. 355 pp.

Monnier, P. and J. Ratter. 1964. *Spergularia*. pp. 154-156. In Tutin et
al. (eds). Flora Europaea. Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 464 pp.

Montenegro, C., S. Teillier, P. Arce, and V. Poblete. 1991. pp. 103-114.
In Groves, R. and F. Di Castri. Biogeography of Mediterranean invasions.
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 485 pp.

Munz, P. 1959. A flora of California. University of California Press,
Berkeley. 1681 pp.

New, J. A population study of *Spergula arvensis*. 1. Two clines and
their significance. Annals of Botany 22: 457-477.

New, J. 1959. A population study of *Spergula arvensis*. 2. Genetics and
breeding behaviour. Annals of Botany 23: 23-33.

New, J. Biological flora of the British Isles. 76. *Spergula arvensis*.
Journal of Ecology 49: 205- 215.

Odum, S. 1965. Germination of ancient seeds: floristical observations
and experiments with archaeologically dated soil samples. Dansk Botanisk
Arkiv 24: 1-70.

Ohwi, J. 1965. Flora of Japan. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.
1066 pp.

Proctor, M., P. Yeo, and A. Lack. 1996. The Natural history of
pollination. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. 479 pp.

Richards, A. 1986. Plant breeding systems. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, Great Britain. 529 pp.

Roberts, H. 1958. Studies on the weeds of vegetable crops. I. Initial
effects of cropping on weed seeds in the soil. Journal of Ecology 46:
759-768.

Sterk, A. 1969. Biosystematic studies of *Spergularia media* and
*Spergularia marina* in relation to the environment. Acta Botanika
Neerlandica 18: 561-577.

Sterk, A. and L. Dijkhuizen. 1972. The relationship between the genetic
determination and the ecological significance of the seed wing of
*Spergularia media* and *S. marina*. Acta Botanika Neerlandica 21:
481-190.

Wagner, W., D. Herbst, and S. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of the flowering
plants of Hawaii. 1853 pp.

Webb, C., W. Sykes, and P. Garnock-Jones. 1988. Flora of New Zealand.
Volume 4. Naturalized pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons.
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch. 1365 pp.