Arenaria congesta, July 10, 2023
Common & scientific name
Ballhead sandwort, Arenaria congesta
Family
Pink, Caryophyllaceae
Location
Roadside, 10,000’
Fun, weird, helpful, or little known fact
Ballhead sandwort (poorly named, it seems to me, in light of its rarely “ball-like” clusters of flowers—usually only a few—although this first photo is one of those) 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!