Arenaria saxosa A.Gray var. saxosa

Arenaria saxosa and Arenaria confusa are often combined under Arenaria lanuginosa var. saxosa (e.g., in The Flora of North America; or Spergulastrum lanuginosum in Kelly Allred's NM checklist), however I am following the treatment by Bassett Maguire in The Flora of Arizona. These taxa are apparently in need of further research to determine which, if either, treatment is correct; however, it seems unsatisfying to lump considerable variation within a single variety. Like Arenaria saxosa var. cinerascens, var. saxosa has unbranched or sparingly branched stems, short, ascending pedicels, and ascending to erect & appressed leaves that are densely puberulent. However, compared to var. cinerascens, the stems are shorter, more abundant, and prostrate except at the tips (rather than ascending to erect throughout) and the leaves are smaller & proportionally wider.

Flowers along Forest Trail 452 at ca. 9700 feet elevation on the east side of San Pedro Parks, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, 25 Jun 2010.

Plant habit on the east side of San Pedro Parks, 25 Jun 2010.

Side view of a flower on the east side of San Pedro Parks, 25 Jun 2010.