Unknown cushion plant

[Knud]

I have had a bright green, very dense cushion plant growing in a through for five years now, and this June it bloomed for the first time, six flowers in total. The first picture is a close-up showing the cushion and the flowers, the second picture shows its general form (the "big" green mound in the fromt between the two saxifrages).

Can anyone help me identify this cushion?

Thank you,
Knud

[tonyg]

My first thoughts led me to Sagina subulata but the foliage is not right.  Arenaria were next on the list, Arenaria norvegica perhaps? 

[hadacekf]

Perhaps it is Minuartia stellata.

[Maggi Young]

Knud, I agree with Franz that it may  be Minuartia stellata... that fits better to my eyes with the very neat tight cushion.

[Lesley Cox]

A really nice cushion, even apart from the flowers. I've not seen it before.

[Knud]

My first thoughts led me to Sagina subulata but the foliage is not right.  Arenaria were next on the list, Arenaria norvegica perhaps? 

Thanks, Tony, for your suggestion. I had been wondering about arenaria, but the cushion seems to dense and the leaves to "substantial". It would be nice if it was A. norvegica.

Knud

[Knud]

Perhaps it is Minuartia stellata.

Thank you, Franz, I have checked all references I can find on Minuartia stellata, and I think you are right. The only detail that doesn't fit is the flower, mine seem more "stellar" in form than the pictures I have found of M. stellata on the internet, but I guess flower form can vary. M. sedoides has flowers shaped more like mine, but has no petals, and mine do.

Knud

[Great Moravian]

Count stigmas.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

This is what I grow as Minuartia caucasica...  

[Maggi Young]

Count stigmas.

Sagina : stamens 4, 5, 8, or 10, arising from base of ovary; filaments distinct; staminodes absent

Minuartia : stamens 10 (8-10 in M. godfreyi), arising from hypanthium; filaments distinct; staminodes absent

Arenaria : stamens 10 (ca. 8 in A. livermorensis), arising from base of ovary; filaments distinct; staminodes absent

[hadacekf]

Luc,
Minuartia caucasica is not a accepted name.

[Knud]

Count stigmas.

Sagina : stamens 4, 5, 8, or 10, arising from base of ovary; filaments distinct; staminodes absent
Minuartia : stamens 10 (8-10 in M. godfreyi), arising from hypanthium; filaments distinct; staminodes absent
Arenaria : stamens 10 (ca. 8 in A. livermorensis), arising from base of ovary; filaments distinct; staminodes absent

My goodness, Maggi, where do you find all this information? Thank you. And Great Moravian, thank you for your tip. The flowers are long gone, but a little manipulation of my picture revealed ten stamens, shown below. The new question is, from where do they arise? I must admit that we are now at a level of detail beyond my knowledge of botany, but I'm learning.

Luc, your plant looks very similar to mine, but flowers with slightly fuller and "rounder" petals?

Knud

[johnw]

My goodness, Maggi, where do you find all this information?

Knud  - I think she dabbles in the occult. 

johnw

[Maggi Young]

Knud  - I think she dabbles in the occult.  Wink

Don't listen to John, Knud.... you've been to my house... you know I have no broomstick  
(which is probably why the place is such a mess!  )

Looks like the stamens are connected to the base of the ovary in your photo.

 www.efloras.org                  


 M

[Knud]

Don't listen to John, Knud.... you've been to my house... you know I have no broomstick  
(which is probably why the place is such a mess!  )

Looks like the stamens are connected to the base of the ovary in your photo.

Absolutely Maggi, I won't listen to John. I saw no broomstick, but come to think of it, I saw no mess either.

Thank you for the link and help with ID, seems I have an Arenaria. Hopefully it will bloom again next year, I will check more thoroughly then.

Knud