Moehringia trinervia
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = moehringia_trinervia_2005.04.30_16.27.42.jpg
|genus = Moehringia
|species = trinervia
}}
{{Commons|Moehringia trinervia}}
Moehringia trinervia, commonly known as apetalous sandwort{{PLANTS|id=MOTR2|taxon=Moehringia trinervia|accessdate=13 July 2015}} or three-nerved sandwort, is a herbaceous flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. A native of Eurasia, it has been introduced into North America.{{cite book |first1=Richard K. |last1=Rabeler |first2=Ronald L. |last2=Hartman |contribution=Moehringia trinervia |contribution-url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242000579 |access-date=2015-07-18 |name-list-style=amp |editor-last=Flora of North America Editorial Committee |title=Flora of North America (online) |publisher=eFloras.org }}
Description
Three-nerved sandwort is a small, slender, slightly pubescent annual growing 10 – 40 cm tall.Rose F. 2006. The Wildflower Key. Warne.Gibbons B, Brough P. 2008. Guide to Wildflowers of Britain and Northern Europe. Philips The leaves are 6 – 25 mm longStreeter D, Hart-Davis C, Hardcastle A, Cole F, Harper L. 2009. Collins Wildflower Guide. HarperCollins. with three conspicuous longitudinal veins, although some leaves may have up to five veins. The flowers measure approximately 6 mm in diameter, with each bearing ten stamens and three styles. The three-veined sepals are longer than the petals.{{cite book|last=Stace|first=C. A.|author-link = Stace, C. A.|year=2019|title=New Flora of the British Isles|edition=Fourth|publisher=C & M Floristics|location = Middlewood Green, Suffolk, U.K.| isbn=978-1-5272-2630-2}}{{rp|485}} The flowering period is April until July.
Habitat and distribution
The plant is widely distributed in Britain and much of mainland Europe, although it is absent from the Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland. It favours fertile, well-drained soils in old lowland deciduous woodland and hedgerows, occurring up to 425 m. In Britain, it is considered an ancient woodland indicator in southern England, East Anglia, and Carmarthen.