| Sabulina verna | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Caryophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Sabulina |
| Species: | S. verna |
| Binomial name | |
| Sabulina verna | |
| Subspecies | |
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| Synonyms [1] | |
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Sabulina verna is a scarce species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae, known by the common names spring sandwort, leadwort, [2] golden moss, or Irish moss. [3] It is a small mat-forming, perennial herb. [4] It was first described as Arenaria verna by Carl Linnaeus in 1767 and is known by several synonyms including Minuartia verna. [1]
The small (7–9 mm across), 5-petalled flowers appear on short, downy stems from spring until late summer. The slender leaves have 3 veins. [5]
It ranges across temperate Eurasia and northwestern Africa [1] with a boreal-montane distribution. It is typically found on carboniferous limestone ground. It grows in short grassland, on exposed limestone pavement, on scree slopes and on metal-rich soils, including spoil heaps from lead mining. [4]
