Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_9428.JPG-09-02-2023
Flower name (scientific): Psammophiliella muralis (Linnaeus) Sergei Sergeevich Ikonnikov PY: 1976. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) sam-oh-FY-lee-la mur-AL-liss
Flower name (common): Low Baby's Breath
Family name (common): Pink
Family name (scientific): Caryophyllaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: From Greek psammos meaning sand and philia for loving, hence sand loving. Refers to the preferred habitat of this plant being sandy soil.
    Specific epithet: From the Latin for growing on walls.
Common name origin: Low refers to the small plant height often observed. One explanation for the second part of the common name is that the flowers were used as a baby shower gift. The term "baby's breath" was used starting around the mid nineteenth century to refer to a delicate or sweet scented fragrance of a number of plants, and to one species of the genus Gypsophila in particular, Gypsophila paniculata. The common name for the latter species became part of the common name for Gypsophila muralis, which was renamed to Psammophiliella muralis.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches (5 to 10 mm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: pink or red
     Other: flower arrangement, Panicle
Plant description:
     Size: 2 to 16 inches (5 to 41 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to about 3 cm long and up to 2 to 3 mm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, linear (FNA)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Uncommon
Bloom time (typical): July to August
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual
Habitat: Sidewalk cracks, roadsides, yards, disturbed sites, sun or semi-shade, dry.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Petrorhagia saxifraga (Saxifrage Pink) has a resemblance to Psammophiliella muralis. Psammophiliella muralis has flowers about 6 to 10 mm wide with a calyx 2 to 4 mm long, whereas Petrorhagia saxifraga has flowers about 9 to 13 mm wide with a calyx 3 to 5 mm long. Petrorhagia saxifraga has a more limited county distribution in Wisconsin compared with Psammophiliella muralis.
Ethnobotany:
Latitude: 44.800327
Longitude: -91.509223
Altitude: 241.00
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Barron, Bayfield, Chippewa, Dodge, Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Jackson, Langlade, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Portage, Price, Sheboygan, Taylor, Vilas, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (CT, DC, IN, KS, KY, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SD, TN, VT, WI) Click here for distribution map
In Canada: (NB, ON, QC) Click here for distribution map
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym:
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym(s):
Wetland Status (NC): Not listed
Wetland Status (MW): Not listed