- Scientific name: Moehringia macrophylla
- Species of Greatest Conservation Need (MA State Wildlife Action Plan)
- Endangered (MA Endangered Species Act)
Description
Large-leaved sandwort, a member of the pink family, is a short 5-15 cm (2-6 in) tall, delicate, perennial herb that grows low to the ground from thin, tough runners in duff or in what little soil is present. Leaves are 2-5 cm (1-2 in) long, 3-8 mm (0.1-0.3 in) wide, lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, acute to acuminate, and glabrous. Stems and peduncles are finely hairy. The white flowers have 5 petals, 5 sepals, 10 stamens, and 3 styles. Petals are distinctly longer than the sepals. In Massachusetts, the flowering season is from mid-May to mid-June.
Large-leaved sandwort bears a resemblance to the common grove sandwort (Moehringia lateriflora) but can be distinguished by its longer, lance-acuminate, glabrous leaves, its longer acute sepals, and its specialized habitat.
Life cycle and behavior
Large-leaved sandwort is a perennial species.
Population status
In Massachusetts, large-leaved sandwort is listed as endangered. Currently, three populations have been documented in the state. Although each population is large and on very rugged terrain, the extreme rarity of serpentine outcrops in Massachusetts makes it important to protect these few sites. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program has 3 records from 2 counties: Berkshire and Hampden. All 3 of these records have been observed within the last 25 years.
Distribution in Massachusetts. 1999-2024. Based on records in the Natural Heritage Database.
Distribution and abundance
Large-leaved sandwort occurs in four disjunct areas of North America: eastern Quebec and Labrador to Connecticut, around Lake Superior, the southern Rocky Mountains, and in a broad band from Northwest Territories southwestward to Idaho and California.
Habitat
Large-leaved sandwort is one of our most specialized plants, occurring only on exposed outcrops of serpentine rock. Populations inhabit steep rocky slopes under a broken canopy of white pine, black birch, red maple, hemlock, striped maple, and witch hazel. Serpentine usually contains high levels of nickel and manganese, which are more or less toxic to plants and therefore severely limit colonization. In Connecticut, large-leaved sandwort occurs on a trap rock slope with cold air vents.
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Contact
| Date published: | May 8, 2025 |
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