Sagina

• Choose this species
  S. nodosa

  1a. Petals 3–4.5 mm long, ca. 2 times as long as the sepals [Fig. 566]; upper leaf axils of stem usually bearing fascicles of minute, succulent leaves
• See list of 4 species in 1b
  CHOOSE THIS LEAD

  1b. Petals 0.75–2.5 (–3) mm long, shorter than to shortly exceeding the sepals [Fig. 567], or the petals absent; upper stem lacking axillary fascicles of leaves
  • Choose this species
    S. procumbens

    2a. Sepals 4 per flower (rarely some flowers with 5) [Fig. 567], spreading in fruit; plants perennial, with basal rosettes of narrow leaves (at least on younger plants), completely glabrous
  • See list of 3 species in 2b
    CHOOSE THIS LEAD

    2b. Sepals 5 per flower (rarely some flowers with 4), erect in fruit; plants annual (rarely 
short-lived perennial in S. maxima), usually without basal rosettes of leaves, at least the sepals and apical portion of pedicels stipitate-glandular (infrequently glabrous throughout 
in S. decumbens)
    • Choose this species
      S. decumbens

      3a. Leaf blades herbaceous; seeds light brown, obliquely triangular in outline, with an abaxial groove; capsules broad-ellipsoid prior to dehiscence, with relatively thin valves
    • See list of 2 species in 3b
      CHOOSE THIS LEAD

      3b. Leaf blades somewhat succulent; seeds red-brown or dark brown, reniform to 
globose, plump, lacking an abaxial groove; capsules globose prior to dehiscence, with 
relatively thick valves
      • Choose this species
        S. japonica

        4a. Seeds dark brown, conspicuously tuberculate with magnification; sepals 2–2.5 mm long; petals 1–2 mm long; capsules 2.5–3 mm long
      • Choose this species
        S. maxima

        4b. Seeds red-brown, smooth or inconspicuously tuberculate; sepals (2–) 2.5–3.5 mm long; petals 2–2.5 (–3) mm long; capsules (3–) 3.5–4.5 mm long

Show All Couplets

 Show photos of:   Each photo represents one species in this genus.