Sabulina verna explained

Sabulina verna is a scarce species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, known by the common names spring sandwort, leadwort,^[1] golden moss, or Irish moss.^[2] It is a small mat-forming, perennial herb.^[3] It was first described as Arenaria verna by Carl Linnaeus in 1767 and is known by several synonyms including Minuartia verna.

The small (7–9 mm across), 5-petalled flowers appear on short, downy stems from spring until late summer. The slender leaves have 3 veins.^[4]

It ranges across temperate Eurasia and northwestern Africa with a boreal-montane distribution. It is typically found on carboniferous limestone ground. It grows in short grassland, on exposed limestone pavement, on scree slopes and on metal-rich soils, including spoil heaps from lead mining.

Subspecies

Five subspecies are accepted.

• Sabulina verna subsp. brevipetala – Turkey
• Sabulina verna subsp. grandiflora – Sardinia and Sicily
• Sabulina verna subsp. hercynica – Belgium, France, and Germany
• Sabulina verna subsp. kabylica – northwestern Africa (Morocco and Algeria)
• Sabulina verna subsp. verna – Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus, Siberia, Central Asia, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Japan, and the eastern Himalayas.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minuartia verna spring sandwort . 2022-05-13 . Royal Horticultural Society . en-gb.
2. http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/ARVAS.html Bluestone Perennials: Arenaria verna 'Aurea'
3. Web site: Sabulina verna (L.) Rchb. . 25 March 2024. Online Atlas of the British and Irish flora . en.
4. Book: Sterry, Paul . Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers . HarperCollins . 2006 . 978-0-00-723684-8 . 34.