Annual sandwort facts for kids

Minuartia pusilla is a very small flowering plant. People often call it the annual sandwort or dwarf stitchwort. It belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family, which includes many types of pinks and carnations.

This tiny plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia in Canada, south through California, and east to Utah in the United States. It grows in many different places, from sea level up to high mountains, around 2,400 meters (about 7,900 feet) high. It likes mountain pine forests, chaparral (a type of shrubland), and open plains.

What Does It Look Like?

Minuartia pusilla is a petite plant that lives for only one year. It has a very thin stem that stands straight up. This stem is usually no more than 5 centimeters (about 2 inches) tall. That's shorter than your pinky finger!

Leaves and Flowers

The leaves of this plant are tiny and green. They are shaped like a thread or a small spear tip. Each leaf is only about 5 millimeters (less than a quarter inch) long and 1.5 millimeters wide. They often curve inwards a bit.

The flowers are also very small. They have five pointed parts called sepals, which are like little green leaves that protect the flower bud. These sepals are only a few millimeters long. The flower might also have five white petals. These petals are usually about the same size as the sepals, or a little bit smaller. Sometimes, the flowers don't have any petals at all!