Arenaria congesta, July 21, 2021
Common & scientific name
Ballhead sandwort, Arenaria congesta
Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae
Location
Linkins Lake Trail, 11,900’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Ballhead sandwort (poorly named, it seems to me, in light of its hardly “ball-like” clusters of flowers—usually only a few) lines the trails in dry, rocky, sandy soils. Its spindly appearance makes it easy to overlook, but a close-up viewing of its intricate, lovely flowers, like many in the Pink family, will inspire new appreciation!