Eremogone aculeata
Caryophyllaceae
Prickly Sandwort
Mat-forming. Stems 2–8 in., upright, with leaves at right angles. Leaves 1/3–1 1/3 in., stiff, narrow, with sharp point and blue waxy coating, hairless. Mat of leaves feels prickly to the touch. Flowers few, contained in loose clusters at stem top on stalks up to 1 in. long. Flower petals rounded. Seedpods oblong, yellow-tan. Grows on rocky ridges, outcrops, volcanic soils, at high elevations. Arenaria capillaris is similar but leaves are often taller than the flowers and thread-like but not sharply pointed.
- Rarity: Locally Common
- Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
- Flower Form: Petals 5, Completely Free, Regular Shape, Ovary Su
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Height: 2–8 inches
- Habitat: Alpine, Dry Rocky Sites, Subalpine
- Found In: Steens, Wallowas
- Native: Yes
- Latin Synonyms: Arenaria aculeata, Arenaria congesta var. aculeata
