Introduction to the Caryophyllaceae, or Pink Family

Welcome to the Caryophyllaceae plant family, also called the pink family, or occasionally the carnation family after perhaps their most famous member. However, there is so much more beauty, both in literal beauty and in plants that are so beautifully adapted that they can survive in the most extreme environments. In fact, Caryophyllaceae are often found in high alpine and arctic environments. One member is even one of only two flowering plants that are native to Antarctica—yes, Antarctica!  

If you’re new to plant morphology, the guide below is a perfect beginner’s description if you are keen to learn how to identify the pink family, with no need to know any scientific jargon.

Below the guide, you’ll find morphology photos to help you identify the features of the pink family, information on uses and wildlife values, and pictures of individual Caryophyllaceae species I have photographed in North America, organized by tribe, so you can start to see the relationships within the family as well. But for researchers or those wanting to learn more, further down this page you’ll find the Scientific Botanical Description and my genus-level distribution data throughout North, Central, and South America.

Beginner’s Guide to the Pink (Caryophyllaceae) Family

Leaves and Stems of the Pink Family

Pink members are almost always herbs, often mat-forming, sometimes dwarf subshrubs, but rarely they can be woody shrubs or climbing vines. They are frequently adapted to extreme environments, from high alpine, saline, and arid habitats to arctic and even Antarctic plants. One common characteristic is they often have noticeably swollen stem nodes.

Leaves are usually opposite, sometimes whorled, and rarely alternate. Blades are simple and often join at the base to form a short, continuous sheath. The leaf blade is always entire (not divided). Some tribes have small papery appendages called stipules at their base, while others do not.

Flowers of the Pink Family

The pink family flowers are mostly bisexual, containing both male (stamens) and female (ovary, stigma, and style) organs in the same flower, but other forms do occur, though plants with functionally female flowers still bear sterile stamens (staminodes). Flowers are often solitary, but sometimes in small clusters.

The flowers have radial symmetry with floral parts usually in 5s (sometimes 4s). There is usually a distinct calyx with 5(4) sepals, which may be free or joined into a tube, sometimes with prominent longitudinal veins. There are usually 5(4) petals, but sometimes they are absent. Petals are often clawed and may have distinct scale-like appendages where the claw and limb meet. Petals may be entire, toothed, or have a shredded appearance, or they may be so deeply split that they appear to have 10 petals instead of 5. Petals are usually white, pink, magenta, or red, rarely pale yellow, green, or buff, but they are never blue. 

Reproductive Features of the Pink Family

Most pink family members have 10 or 8 stamens in 2 whorls, but sometimes they may only have 5 or 5, or just 1-3, mostly in flowers without petals. Many members have a prominent fleshy green nectary at the base of the outer stamens.

The flowers almost always have a superior ovary (with petals attached below the ovary) and may have 2-5 styles, which is an important diagnostic clue.

Fruits of the Pink Family

The fruits of most members are dry capsules with numerous seeds that split open via a very characteristic number of valves or teeth, which is another useful clue at the tribe level. However, one-seeded dry fruits with a hardened surface that do not split open are also seen in some tribes.

Morphology of Caryophyllaceae in North America

First, here are some plant and leaf morphologies that are seen in the Carophyllaceae family.

Now, here is Caryophyllaceae flower morphology, showing some of the variation you will see between tribes in the field.

Some Species of Caryophyllaceae Found in North America

The Alsineae Tribe

The Arenarieae Tribe

The Caryophylleae Tribe

The Eremogoneae Tribe

The Paronychieae Tribe

The Polycarpeae Tribe

The Sagineae Tribe

The Sileneae Tribe

The Sperguleae Tribe

Uses of the Caryophyllaceae Family

There are numerous ornamentals in the Caryophyllaceae family, with 70+ species of Dianthus (including carnation), Gypsophila, Silene, etc., commonly grown for cut flowers in commercial flower arrangements as well as garden ornamentals.

The high levels of saponins, especially in the roots and seeds of the Caryophylleae and Sileneae tribes, have made them useful for domestic cleaning agents, emulsifying agents, and foaming agents, and some are also used in biomedical research.

Many members are known heavy-metal hyperaccumulators and are used for studying metal tolerance, adaptive genetics, and potential phytoremediation and even phytomining.

The family also has several cosmopolitan and agricultural weeds (Cerastium, Arenaria, Stellaria, etc.). 

Ecosystem and Wildlife Values of the Caryophyllaceae

The Caryophyllaceae is a cosmopolitan family that plays key ecosystem roles in extreme environments, particularly cushion- or mat-forming alpine/arctic species that create microclimates, nurse-plant effects, and thermal and moisture buffering.

Many have abundant nectar and display specialized pollination mutualisms, especially noctuid moths but also hummingbirds and other species. They also provide crucial early-season and high-elevation resources for numerous insects due to their ability to grow and bloom in extreme environments.

Many Caryophyllaceae are used as obligatory food hosts for numerous butterflies and moths. The abundant starchy seeds are staple food sources for granivorous birds.

Taxonomy of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The Caryophyllaceae is a large family with 106 currently accepted genera and 2,625 (POWO) to 3,000+ (Caryophyllales Network) species. Numbers vary as the family continues being resolved. As with all other plant families, modern molecular phylogenetics has deepened and clarified our understanding of how plants are related to each other.

As a result, there have been many changes over the years. Here, I default to the Caryophyllales Network (Korotkova, 2021), which is considered the most authoritative and up-to-date consensus on the Caryophyllaceae family. As always, as new information comes available, I will update this page so it contains the most up-to-date details.

Part of the recent reworking of the Caryophyllaceae was to remove the subfamilies altogether since they were heavily paraphyletic and polyphyletic. Instead, they created 11 tribes, now 12, since Thylacospermum has been recently segregated into its own tribe (Thylacospermeae) rather than being placed within Eremogoneae or incertae sedis.

Alsineae Tribe

The Alsineae is a diverse tribe made mostly of slender, creeping, or erect annual or perennial herbs, but geophytes and climbers are also seen. Leaves are strictly opposite and have no stipules. The mostly 5-merous (sometimes 4-merous) flowers have white (rarely green or absent) petals that are characteristically deeply bifid almost to the base, appearing like 10 petals instead of 5. The superior ovary has 3 or 5 styles (rarely 2) with diagnostic fruit characters in most where the capsule dehisces apically by twice as many valves or teeth as there are styles. They are primarily holarctic and cold-to-warm temperate but extend into the tropics at high altitudes.

Genera of the Alsineae Tribe

Adenonema (2), Brachystemma (2), Cerastium (218), Dichodon (7), Hartmaniella (2), Hesperostellaria (1), Holosteum (6), Mesostemma (11), Moenchia (4), Nubelaria (3), Odontostemma (61), Rabelera (2), Reniostellaria (1), Pseudostellaria (25), Schizotechium (6), Shivparvatia (10), Stellaria (190), Thurya (1), Torreyostellaria (1).

Arenarieae Tribe

The Arenarieae tribe are annual or perennial herbs, with strictly opposite and exstipulate leaves. Flowers are mostly 5-merous, with white petals (rarely pinkish) that are entire or only shallowly emarginate and never bifid. Flowers typically have 10 stamens and a superior ovary with 3 styles. Fruits help distinguish them from the Alsineae by being capsules that open by valves equal in number to the styles. They are primarily holarctic and north temperate to arctic-alpine, found in temperate Asia, Arctic North America, and extending to the tropics at high elevations.

Genera of the Arenarieae Tribe

Arenaria (179), Moehringia (29), Reicheella (1).

Caryophylleae Tribe

The Caryophylleae is a large, mostly Eurasian and Mediterranean group of herbs to woody-based subshrubs with strictly opposite, exstipulate leaves. The calyx is fused with 5, 15, or up to 35 longitudinal veins on the tubes. The flowers have 5 long-clawed petals with no/reduced coronal scales at the claw-limb junction, differentiating them from Sileneae; they also have strictly 2 styles. Fruits are capsules that dehisce apically by 4 valves or teeth (twice the number of styles).

Genera of the Caryophylleae Tribe

Acanthophyllum (82), Balkana (1), Bolanthus (10), Cyathophylla (2), Dianthus (355), Drypis (1), Gypsophila (148), Heterochroa (6), Petroana (2), Petrorhagia (29), Psammophiliella (2), Saponaria (41).

Corrigioleae Tribe

The Corrigioleae are a group of glaucous annual or perennial herbs, often from taproots. A key field identification is their alternate to sub-opposite leaves, compared to strictly opposite–decussate leaves in most other members. The superior ovary has 3 short styles, or sessile stigmas, and the fruit is a dry, 1-seeded indehistent nutlet, or achene, tightly enclosed by a persistent calyx compared to dehiscent multi-seeded capsules. They are mostly centered around the Mediterranean Basin, Europe, and Africa, but also in Asia and the American continents.

Genera of the Corrigioleae Tribe

Corrigiola (12), Telephium (5).

Eremogoneae Tribe

The Eremogoneae are perennial herbs or dwarf subshrubs, often forming dense, spiny-looking clumps, compact cushions, or loose mats from a woody caudex or taproot. Leaves are strictly opposite, exstipulate, and thin and needle-like. Flowers have 5 entire to slightly emarginate petals (rarely 4) and 5 rigid, 1-3-veined sepals. The ovary has 4 styles (rarely 2 or up to 6), and the fruit is a cylindrical capsule opening by 6 teeth or bifid valves. They are found throughout Central Asia and Siberia, the Middle East, and the Himalayan region, with some in North America.

Genera of the Eremogoneae Tribe

Eremogone (103), Himgiria (1).

Paronychieae Tribe

The Paronychieae are a group of prostrate, spreading, or mat-forming perennial (rarely annual) herbs or dwarf subshrubs with strictly opposite leaves that may appear pseudo-whorled with short shoots. Leaves are small and flanked by prominent papery stipules. Flowers are small and mostly apetalous, with conspicuous silvery-hyaline bracts that partially or fully conceal them. Fruits are 1-seeded indehiscent utricles, or achenes, often with a persistent or accrescent calyx. They are mostly found in the warm-temperate, subtropical, and Mediterranean Old World, but also in similar environments in the New World.

Genera of the Paronychieae Tribe

Chaetonychia (1), Gymnocarpos (10), Herniaria (52), Illecebrum (1), Kabulia (1 incertae sedis), Paronychia (122), Philippiella (1), Pteranthus (1), Sphaerocoma (1).

Polycarpaeae Tribe

The Polycarpaea are mostly annual, biennial, or perennial herbs or woody-based subshrubs with opposite or pseudoverticillate leaves, and various stipules are always present. Flowers are small and 5-merous (4-merous), and petals are usually present. The fruit is a loculicidal (2–)3-valved, multi-seeded dehiscent capsule (rarely few-seeded), unlike the 1-seeded indehiscent achene/utricle of the Paronychieae. They are mostly Neotropical, particularly Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, and the Andes, but also found in temperate zones as well as Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Madagascar, Asia, and Australasia.

Genera of the Polycarpaeae Tribe

Augustea (4), Achyronychia (1), Cardionema (7), Cerdia (1), Cometes (2), Dicheranthus (1), Drymaria (58), Haya (1), Krauseola (2), Loeflingia (3), Microphyes (3), Ortegia (1), Pollichia (1), Polycarpaea (82), Polycarpon (1), Polytepalum (1), Pycnophyllum (14), Scopulophila (2), Stipulicida (2), Xerotia (1).

Sagineae Tribe

The Sagineae are a tribe of small annuals or matted or dense alpine/subantarctic cussion plants with opposite, usually linear or needle-like leaves and no stipules. Flowers are mostly 4-merous or 5-merous, solitary and terminal, or in few-flowered cymes. The petals are white, entire, or emarginate but never deeply bifid or cleft, and the superior ovary has 4 or 5 styles (rarely 3), with capsules that dehisce by valve numbers matching the styles or sepals. They are bi-polar, cold-temperate, montane, and arctic-alpine, and this tribe contains one of only two plants, the only dicot plant native to Antarctica, Colobanthus quitensis (the other plant is a grass).

Genera of the Sagineae Tribe

Bufonia (38), Colobanthus (24), Facchinia (7), Habrosia (1), Lepyrodiclis (3), Mcneillia (7), Minuartia (67), Minuartiella (6), Psammosilene (1), Sabulina (78), Sagina (37).

Sclerantheae Tribe

The Sclerantheae are a group of herbs in diverse forms, from alpine cussions to stiff annuals and perennials to fleshy coastal halophytes and woody-based shrubs or vines. Flowers are small and tend to have a reduced perianth or are apetalous. The ovary is superior to semi-inferior with 2-3 (rarely up to 5) styles. Fruits also show divergence, being utricles or multi-seeded capsules that dehisce by 3-6 teeth or valves. They also show a wide range across extreme environments: holarctic and boreal, Old World temperate and Mediterranean, Australasia, and North American endemics, and they show remarkable oceanic insular endemism.

Genera of the Sclerantheae Tribe

Cherleria (19), Engellaria (1), Geocarpon (7), Honckenya (1), Maguirellaria (2), Pentastemonodiscus (1), Pirinia (1), Pseudocherleria (10), Schiedea (37), Selleola (1), Scleranthus (12), Triplateia (1), Wilhelmsia (1).

Sileneae Tribe

The Sileneae is primarily a holarctic tribe (north temperate, boreal, and subarctic) with secondary radiations in the Mediterranean and Middle East, and with worldwide weeds in genera such as Agrostemma and Silene. They are easily identified in the field by their fused calyx, which forms a cylindrical, bell-shaped, or inflated tube with 5 terminal teeth and 10, 20, or up to 30 prominent veins on the tube. Flowers are 5-petaled and long-clawed, with the claw hidden inside the calyx tube; the limb is often bifid, 4-cleft, or fringed, and there is often an evident coronal scale. They are herbs often with swollen nodes and bearing glandular hairs; leaves are strictly opposite and lack stipules.

Genera of the Sileneae Tribe

Agrostemma (2), Atocion (7), Eudianthe (3), Heliosperma (10), Petrocoptis (11), Silene (891), Viscaria (3).

Sperguleae Tribe

The Sperguleae are annuals or short-lived perennials that are often glandular-pubescent and succulent, with narrow to thread-like opposite leaves and condensed dwarf shoots that form dense pseudowhorls at each node. Dry, scarious stipules are always present, though they may be small. Flowers have 5 free sepals and 5 entire petals that are never bifid or notched. Flowers have 3 or 5 distinct styles and produce nearly rounded to egg-shaped capsules, often with wings, membranes, tubercles, or other adaptations for wind and water dispersal. They are subcosmopolitan, heavily concentrated in the Old World, but also prevalent in North and South America, especially in salt marshes, alkaline flats, and semi-arid steppes.

Genera of the Sperguleae Tribe

Rhodalsine (1), Spergula (12), Spergularia (67).

Thylacospermeae Tribe

The Thylacospermeae are very densely packed cushion or flat mat-forming perennial subshrubs with opposite leaves and no stipules, adapted to high alpine conditions. Flowers are minute and solitary, barely protruding beyond the vegetative surface, and have 2-3 filiform styles, producing capsules that open apically by 4-6 teeth or valves, with seeds enclosed in an inflated papery or spongy membranous aril or envelope. They are strictly cryophilic species found in high alpine zones (4000+ m) in Asia.

Genera of the Thylacospermeae Tribe

Thylacospermum (2).

Key Differences From Similar Families

The Caryophyllaceae is often confused with the Brassicaceae (mustard) family, particularly the tiny white-flowered mustards that gardeners often also call “chickweed” (Stellaria). But they can easily be differentiated in the field because mustards have alternate leaves and a basal rosette, while Caryophyllaceae almost always have opposite leaves. Furthermore, mustards always have 4 petals arranged in a cross-like pattern, while Caryophyllaceae rarely have 4 petals, usually having 5 or appearing as 10 because they are so deeply cleft.

The Montiaceae (miner’s lettuce) is another common confusion because of sharing opposite succulent leaves and often similar habitats with some Caryophyllaceae members. However, the Montiaceae only has 2 green sepals instead of always 5 or 4, though they may be fused.

The Primulaceae are another family that can be confused with Caryophyllaceae, which have small opposite leaves, sprawling stems, and tiny solitary flowers. However, if you look closely at the base of the petals on a Primulaceae flower, you will see that they are joined at the base into a ring. Also, Primulaceae fruits are typically circumscissile capsules that open around the top like a lid, rather than from the top down, as in Caryophyllaceae.

Scientific Botanical Description of the Caryophyllaceae Family

Habit & Leaf Form of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The Caryophyllaceae are mostly annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, caespitose cushion- or mat-forming cryophytes, dwarf subshrubs, or rarely woody shrubs or scrambling lianas. They are strictly autotrophic; although viscid-glandular trichomes serving anti-herbivory or anti-nectar-theft functions are often found, they do not serve carnivorous functions. Plants are helophytic/hydric to extreme xerophytic and cryophilic and may be succulent or halophytic. Stems may be erect, decumbent, or prostrate and are typically terete with noticibly swollen nodes.

Leaves are usually strictly opposite and ducussate or pseudo-whorled (pseudoverticillate resulting from condensed axillary short shoots with shortened internodes seen in some Polycarpeae and Sperguleae) or alternate (rarely spiral in the Corrigioleae tribe). They are petiolate, subsessile, sessile, or rarely perfoliate. Blades are simple and often connate around the stem to form a short, continuous, scarious, or herbaceous sheath.

The lamina is entire, varying from linear, subulate, setaceous, or acicular to broadly ovate, cordate, or obovate; venation is typically 1-nerved or with 3–5 parallel to arcuate veins from the base, rarely pinnate. Leaves are stipulate in the Corrigioleae, Paronychieae, Polycarpaeae, and Sperguleae tribes, typically scarious, but are absent in all remaining tribes.

Flowers of the Caryophyllaceae Family

Plants are mostly hermaphrodite, but polygamodioecious, andromonoecious, gynodioecious, or functionally dioecious forms are also seen. Pollination is mostly entomophilous, but sphingophilous, ornithophilous, anemophilous, and cleistogamous forms are also seen. 

Flowers are solitary and terminal (common in high-alpine and cushion-forming species) or organized in terminal (rarely axillary) compound dichasia (biparous cymes), often transitioning distally into monochasial (scorpioid/cincinnoid) branches, capitate clusters, or umbelliform cymes. Inflorescences are subtended by scarious or foliaceous bracts, and an epicalyx (calycle) of 1 to several pairs of imbricate, appressed bracts is seen beneath the calyx in some Caryophylleae.

Flowers are actinomorphic, 5-merous (rarely 4-merous), and are diplostemonous, haplostemonous, or oligostemonous; cyclic (typically pentacyclic, tetracyclic in apetalous forms). A hypanthium, or hypogynous nectariferous disc, is present. The receptacle is sometimes prolonged into a distinct internodal anthophore (elevating corolla, stamens, and ovary above the calyx) or carpophore (supporting the capsule in fruit), particularly in Sileneae.

The perianth has a distinct calyx and corolla or may be sepaline or occasionally apetalous. The calyx has 5(4) sepals that are persistent in fruit. They are either free to the base with scarious margins (most tribes) or gamosepalous and connate into a tubular, campanulate, or inflated 5-lobed/toothed calyx tube with 5–30 prominent longitudinal veins in the Sileneae and Caryophyllaleae.

The corolla, when present, has 5(4) petals in 1 whorl that are alternisepalous and free to the base. In tribes with fused sepals, petals are clawed, and the claw-limb junction often bears 2 distinct, erect coronal scales. Limbs are entire, dentate, fimbriate/lacerate, or deeply bifid. Petals are usually white, pink, magenta, or red, rarely pale yellow, green, or buff, and never blue. 

Androecium of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The Caryophyllaceae androecium typically has 10 or 8 members in 2 whorls, but they may be reduced to 5 or 4 or further reduced to 1–3 in wind-pollinated, apetalous, or cleistogamous taxa. They are usually exclusively fertile, but sometimes, mostly in apetalous lineages, the outer whorl is reduced to minute, scale-like, or nectariferous staminodia, and vestigial non-functional staminodia are seen in dioecious and gynodioecious taxa.

Filaments are free or shortly connate at the base into a ring, sometimes adnate basally to the petal claws, or inserted along the anthophore. There are prominent, green, fleshy nectariferous disc-glands, or swollen nectary appendages, often seen at the base of the outer filaments.

Anthers are dithecal, tetrasporangiate, dorsifixed, or versatile and dehisce longitudinally, introrse to latrorse.

Gynoecium of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The gynoecium is syncarpous with 2, 3, 4, or 5 carpels. The ovary is almost always superior but can be semi-inferior when sunken inside the hypanthium; they are 1-locular distally but often incompletely 2-5-locular near the base.

There are 2-5 styles, corresponding to the number of carpels, that are terminal and distinct to the base or rarely connate proximally into a style with 2-3 stigmatic branches. The number of styles is an important diagnostic feature used to differentiate the family at the tribal level (see Tribe descriptions). There are 2–5 dry, papillate stigmas, with the receptive area either capitate or decurrent along the adaxial surface of the styles.

Placentation is free-central in multi-seeded (3-150+ ovules) capsular fruits or reduced to basal with a single solitary ovule in indehiscent nutlets, achenes, and utricles (mostly in Corrigioleae and Paronychieae). Ovules are campylotropous to amphitropous (rarely hemianatropous), bitegmic, crassinucellate, and borne on slender funicles. They are mostly non-arillate, but in Thylacospermeae they are surrounded by a loose, membranous aril/arillode, while in Moehringia and Petrocoptis they develop a distinct, fleshy, lipid-rich strophiole/elaiosome at the hilum.

Fruit of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The Caryophyllaceae fruits are mostly dry, crustaceous, or chartaceous loculicidal capsules, dehiscing apically by valves or teeth (the number in comparison to the number of styles is an important diagnostic at the tribe level), but rarely they may appear fleshy or berry-like at maturity. Occasionally the fruit is a 1-seeded, dry, indehiscent utricle (pericarp thin, papery, loose) or achene/nutlet with a hardened pericarp, often with the persistent, indurated hypanthium or calyx in Corrigioleae, Paronychieae, and Scleranthus.

Seeds are 1 to numerous, reniform, pyriform, subglobose, or dorsiventrally compressed to shield-shaped (peltate); testaceous or tuberculate, papillate, striate, smooth, or with broad, membranous, wing-like marginal rims (e.g., Spergula, Spergularia). Hilum marginal or facial/ventral (Caryophylleae); strophiolate (bearing a distinct, fleshy, lipid-rich elaiosome for ant dispersal in Moehringia and Petrocoptis) or loosely enveloped by a membranous, saccate arillode (Thylacospermeae). True endosperm is reduced or absent, and the nutritive tissue consists of starchy perisperm.

Global Distribution of the Caryophyllaceae Family

The Caryophyllaceae are a truly cosmopolitan family, found from frigid extreme alpine/arctic/antarctic climates to the tropics, although they are predominantly a temperate herbaceous species. Even within most tribal breakdowns, they often occupy multiple geographic locations, with the same genera also found globally.

In the American continents, they are widespread in Canada, including the Arctic (and Greenland) and northern USA, with some also found in Mexico and Central and South America. The species Colobanthus quitensis aka the Antarctic Pearlwort, is native to South America and Mexico but is also one of only two flowering plants native to Antarctica.

Distribution of the Caryophyllaceae in the American Continents

Canadian Caryophyllaceae Genera

Alsineae Tribe in Canada

Cerastium 20 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to most of Canada inc. the Arctic (and Greenland), but introduced to PE; Dichodon 1 sp. native to NU, QC, and Labrador (and Greenland), but extinct on NL Island; Hesperostellaria monospecific narrow endemic genus of AB and MT (USA); Holosteum 1 sp. intro to BC and ON; Moenchia 1 sp. intro to BC; Stellaria 20 spp. cosmopolitan genus inc. 19 spp. native to all of Canada, including the Arctic (and Greenland), and 1 sp. (formerly Myosoton) intro to BC, ON, and QC.

Arenarieae Tribe in Canada

Arenaria 4 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to BC, AB, YT, NT, NU (and Greenland), MB, ON, QB, NS, and NL, and introduced to SK, NB, and PE; Moehringia 2 spp. N-temperate genus native to all of Canada, including the Arctic.

Caryophylleae Tribe in Canada

Dianthus 10 spp. Old World genus intro to all the S provinces except Labrador, and is native in the YT; Gypsophila 6 spp. intro to most of Canada except NU, NL, and PE; Petrorhagia 3 spp. intro to BC, ON, and QC; Psammophiliella 1 sp. intro to ON and QC; Saponaria 2 spp. intro to all of the S provinces inc. NL but exc. Labrador.

Corrigioleae Tribe in Canada

Corrigiola 1 sp. intro to BC.

Eremogoneae Tribe in Canada

Eremogone 2 spp. native to BC, AB, SK, YT, NT, and NU.

Paronychieae Tribe in Canada

Herniaria 1 sp. intro and ephemeral in ON and QC; Paronychia 3 spp. native to AB, SK, and ON and intro to QC.

Polycarpaeae Tribe in Canada

Cardionema 1 sp. native to BC; Polycarpon 1 sp. intro to BC.

Sagineae Tribe in Canada

Sabulina 11 spp. N hemisphere genus native to most of Canada, including the Arctic (& Greenland) except NB, NS, and PE, includes 1 sp. endemic to ON and QC; Sagina 9 spp. ~cosmopolitan genus native to all of Canada incl. the Arctic (& Greenland);

Sclerantheae Tribe in Canada

Cherleria 7 spp. mostly subarctic genus native to BC, AB, YT, NT, NU (& Greenland), QC, and NL; Engellaria monospecific NW NAM endemic genus native to BC and AB; Geocarpon 1 sp. E NAM and Greenland endemic genus native to NU, ON, QC, NS, NL, and Labrador (formerly as Mononeuria); Honckenya monospecific circumboreal genus native to most of Canada, inc. the Arctic (& Greenland), but excl. AB and SK; Pseudocherleria 1 sp. mostly subarctic genus native to YT and NT; Scleranthus 2 spp. intro to BC, AB, SK, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, and NL Island; Wilhelmsia monospecific native to YT and NT (also AK + E Russia).

Sileneae Tribe in Canada

Agrostemma 1 sp. cosmopolitan weed, is introduced to SK, MB, ON, QC, and NB; Atocion 1 sp. intro to BC, ON, QC, NB, and NS; Silene 32 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to most of Canada, including the Arctic (& Greenland) but is introduced to NB and PE; Viscaria 1 sp. subarctic genus native to QC, NL, and NU (& Greenland).

Sperguleae Tribe in Canada

Spergula 1 sp. intro to all of Canada exc. MB, NU, and Labrador (& intro Greenland); Spergularia 7 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to most of Canada inc. the Arctic (& Greenland), but intro to YT.

USA Caryophyllaceae Genera

Alsineae Tribe in the USA

Cerastium 23 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to all of the USA, inc. AK but exc. FL and HI, where it is introduced; Dichodon 1 sp. introduced to WA, OR, ID, KS, AR, MS, IL, IN, OH, KY, TN, and VA; Hartmaniella 2 spp. USA endemic genus of CA (1) and ID (1); Hesperostellaria monospecific narrow endemic genus of MT and AB (Canada); Holosteum 1 sp. intro to most of the USA except AZ, NM, LA, FL, ND, and MN; Moenchia 1 sp. introduced to WA, OR, CA, IL, SC, MD, and PA; Rabelera 1 sp. intro to WI, PA, OH, NJ, NY, CT, MA, and NC; Stellaria 30 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to all of the USA and AK, but intro to KS, OK, AR, and HI, plus 1 sp formerly known as Myosoton intro in all northeast states from MN E and TN N, exc ME, inc KS, NE; Torreyostellaria monospecific W USA endemic (formerly Pseudostellaria jamesiana) native from MT S to NM and all W and inc. TX.

Arenarieae Tribe in the USA

Arenaria 20 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to the southern half of the USA and introduced to all northern states (except WA, where it is native), and native in AK and introduced to HI; Moehringia 3 spp. are native and introduced to all of the N half of the USA, N of CO excl. KS and TN, and incl. NM, CA, and native in AK.

Caryophylleae Tribe in the USA

Dianthus 9 spp. mostly an Old World genus introduced to all of the USA, inc. HI and exc. AZ, but are both native and introduced to AK; Gypsophila 10 spp. intro to all of the USA, inc. AK and HI; Petrorhagia 4 spp. introduced to much of the W and E USA but absent from most central states; Psammophiliella 1 sp. intro to SD, WI, MI, IN, OH, PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, VT, NH, and ME; Saponaria 3 spp. intro to all of the continental USA.

Corrigioleae Tribe in the USA

Corrigiola 2 spp., incl. 1 intro to WA and OR and 1 native to TX.

Eremogoneae Tribe in the USA

Eremogone 14 spp. native, mostly endemic, to the W USA from ND S to TX and all W except ND.

Paronychieae Tribe in the USA

Herniaria 3 spp. intro to WA, OR, CA, UT, AZ, MI, PA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, MA, ME, and WI; Illecebrum 1 sp. intro to MA; Paronychia 28 spp. native and intro to most of the USA except WA, OR, and ID.

Polycarpaeae Tribe in the USA

Achyronychia monospecific S NAM endemic genus native to CA, NV, UT, and AZ; Cardionema 1 sp. native to WA, OR, and CA; Drymaria 8 spp. native to AZ, NM, CO, TX, LA, MS, GA, and FL; Loeflingia 1 sp. native to WA, OR, CA, NV, UT, AZ, WY, NE, KS, OK, TX, and AR; Polycarpaea 1 sp. intro to FL; Polycarpon 2 spp., inc. 1 sp. intro to OR, CA, TX, AL, GA, SC, FL, and PA and 1 sp. native to CA; Stipulicida 2 spp. S USA and Cuba endemic genus both native to LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, SC, NC, and VA, inc. 1 endemic; Scopulophila 1 sp. endemic to CA, NV, and AZ, other species in genus is endemic to Mexico.

Sagineae Tribe in the USA

Lepyrodiclis 1 sp. intro to WA and ID; Sabulina ~15 spp. N hemisphere genus native to the continental USA and Alaska, including several endemics, and it is extirpated in DE; Sagina 9 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to most of the USA, inc. AK, but exc. ND and NE, and introduced to IA, WI, WV, NH, and HI;

Sclerantheae Tribe in the USA

Cherleria 7 spp. mostly subarctic genus native to the W USA, from MT S to NM and all W, inc. AK; Engellaria monospecific NW NAM endemic genus native to WA, OR, CA, ID, MT, WY, UT, and CO; Geocarpon 7 spp. E NAM and Greenland endemic genus native to TX, OK, MO, AR, LA, IL, KY, TN, AL, GA, FL, NC, SC, VA, WV, NY, NJ, NH, VT, CT, DE, RI, and ME; Honckenya monospecific circumboreal genus native to WA, OR, VA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, RI, MA, NH, and ME; Pseudocherleria 1 sp. mostly subarctic genus native to AK; Schiedea 37 spp. endemic genus of HI; Scleranthus 2 spp. intro to all of the E USA from MN S to LA and all E exc. IA, and inc. NE, KS, OK, CA, OR, WA, ID, and MT; Wilhelmsia monospecific native to AK (also Arctic Canada, E Russia).

Sileneae Tribe in the USA

Agrostemma 2 spp. cosmopolitan weeds are introduced to all of the USA, inc. AK, but exc. NV, UT, and AZ; Atocion 1-2 spp. introduced to WA, OR, CA, UT, and most of the E states from MN S to MO and all E, plus AL, FL, SC, and NC; Silene 89 spp. large cosmopolitan genus, mostly native and some introduced, to all of the USA inc. HI and AK; Viscaria 1 sp. subarctic genus intro to OH, NY, MA, CT, and NH.

Sperguleae Tribe in the USA

Spergula 3 spp. intro to all of the USA, inc. HI and AK, but exc. NV, UT, AZ, OK, NE, IA, and TN; Spergularia 12 spp. cosmopolitan genus native and intro to all of the USA inc. AK, but exc. SD, KS, AR, TN, and WV.

Mexico Caryophyllaceae Genera

Alsineae Tribe in Mexico

Cerastium ~12 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to all of Mexico, inc. 5+ endemics, and is introduced to the Mexican Pacific Islands; Stellaria 7 spp. cosmopolitan genus, inc. 6 native (2 endemic) to all of Mexico and 1 sp. intro; Stellaria 30 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to CAM (exc. Belize), Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, and SE Brazil, with ~20 spp. endemic to the high Andes, and 1 sp. intro to Cuba, Jamaica, the Lesser Antilles, NE+S Brazil, and Uruguay;

Arenarieae Tribe in Mexico

Arenaria ~12 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to all of Mexico.

Caryophylleae Tribe in Mexico

Gypsophila 1 sp. intro to NW Mexico; Saponaria 1 sp. intro to NE+C Mexico and Ver.

Corrigioleae Tribe in Mexico

Corrigiola 2 spp., incl. 1 intro and 1 native to most of Mexico except the SE and Ver.

Eremogoneae Tribe in Mexico

Eremogone 1 sp, native to NW Mexico.

Paronychieae Tribe in Mexico

Herniaria 1 sp. intro to NW Mexico; Paronychia 6 spp. native to most of Mexico except the SE, inc. 4 spp. endemic to Mexico.

Polycarpaeae Tribe in Mexico

Achyronychia monospecific S NAM endemic genus native to N Mexico and Ver; Cardionema 1 sp. native to most of Mexico except the SE; Cerdia monospecific endemic of NE+C+SW Mexico and Ver; Drymaria 32-35 spp. native to all of Mexico, including 20 endemics; Loeflingia 1 sp. native to NW Mexico; Polycarpon 1 sp. native to NW Mexico; Scopulophila 1 sp. endemic to NE+SW+C+Gulf Mexico and the other species is endemic to the USA.

Sagineae Tribe in Mexico

Colobanthus 1 sp. native C+Gulf Mexico; Sabulina 1 sp. N hemisphere genus endemic to NW Mexico; Sagina 3 spp. native to most of Mexico except the SE where introduced;

Sclerantheae Tribe in Mexico

Triplateia monospecific endemic genus native to most of Mexico exc. SE+Gulf.

Sileneae Tribe in Mexico

Silene 10-15 spp. large cosmopolitan genus is native and introduced to most of Mexico except the SE;

Sperguleae Tribe in Mexico

Spergula 1 sp. intro to most of Mexico exc. the SE; Spergularia 3 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to all of Mexico except the SE, and includes 1 endemic.

Neotropical Caryophyllaceae Genera

Alsineae Tribe in the Neotropics

Cerastium ~46 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia (1 endemic), Venezuela, Ecuador (1 endemic), Peru (1 endemic), Bolivia, C+SE+S Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile, and introduced to Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Juan Fernandez Islands; Holosteum 1 sp. introduced to NE Argentina.

Arenarieae Tribe in the Neotropics

Arenaria ~25 spp. cosomopolitan genus native to CAM (except Belize), the Antilles, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and S+SE Brazil, and introduced to Uruguay, with high local endemism in the Andes of Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia; Reicheella monospecific endemic genus of N Chile.

Caryophylleae Tribe in the Neotropics

Dianthus 1 sp. intro to Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, and C Chile; Gypsophila 1-2 spp. intro to Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, S Brazil, Uruguay, and NE+S Argentina; Petrorhagia 1 sp. intro to NE Argentina and C Chile; Saponaria 2 spp. intro to Bolivia, C+S Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Corrigioleae Tribe in the Neotropics

Corrigiola 5 spp., inc. 1 intro and 4 native to Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and C Chile (3 endemics).

Paronychieae Tribe in the Neotropics

Herniaria 3 spp. inc. 1 SAM endemic of Bolivia and NW Argentina, and 2 intro to NE+S Argentina and C Chile; Paronychia ~30 spp. native to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and C+S+SE Brazil, with very high local endemism in the Andes.

Polycarpaeae Tribe in the Neotropics

Augustea 4 spp. SAM endemic genus of Bolivia, Paraguay, N Argentina, and C Chile; Cardionema 6 spp., inc. 5 SAM endemics, native to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, N+C Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and E+S Brazil; Drymaria ~22 spp. native to CAM, Cuba, and tropical SAM S to N Argentina, mostly endemic to the Andes, and is introduced to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Leeward + Windward Is., Trinidad-Tobago, and Puerto Rico; Microphyes 3 spp. W SAM endemic genus of N+C Chile and NW Argentina; Polycarpaea 1 sp. pantropical genus native to Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, and NE Argentina; Polycarpon 1 sp. native to Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Paraguay, and NE Argentina, and introduced to Haiti, Juan Fernandez Is., Brazil (exc. NE), Uruguay, Ecuador, Bolivia, and C Chile; Pycnophyllum 14 spp. W SAM endemic genus of Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, N Chile, and NW Argentina; Stipulicida 1 sp. S USA and Cuba endemic genus native to Cuba.

Sagineae Tribe in the Neotropics

Colobanthus 4 spp. native to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and NE+S Argentina inc. 3 endemic to SAM; Sabulina 1 sp. a disjunct endemic of C Chile in an otherwise N hemisphere genus; Sagina 3 spp. cosmopolitan genus inc. 2 native to C Chile, N Argentina, S Brazil, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic, and 1 sp. intro to Guatemala, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, NW+S Argentina, S Chile, and SE Brazil;

Sclerantheae Tribe in the Neotropics

Maguirellaria 2 spp. narrow endemic genus of the Dominican Republic; Selleola monospecific narrow endemic genus of Haiti; Scleranthus 2 spp. intro to Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, C Chile, NE+S Argentina, and Uruguay.

Sileneae Tribe in the Neotropics

Agrostemma 1 sp. cosmopolitan weed, is introduced to S Brazil, NE+S Argentina, Uruguay, and C Chile; Atocion 1-2 spp. are introduced to Jamiaca, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Colombia; Silene ~18 spp. cosmopolitan genus, native in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, and introduced to Guatemala, El Salvador, Haiti, Jamaica, Bermuda, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Uruguay, and S+SE Brazil.

Sperguleae Tribe in the Neotropics

Spergula 6 spp. inc. 5 spp. native in Bolivia, Paraguay, N+C Chile, Argentina, S Brazil, and Uruguay, and 1 sp. intro to Guatemala, Jamaica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, C+SE Brazil, and S Chile; Spergularia 15-20 spp. cosmopolitan genus native to Colombia (1 endemic), Ecuador, Peru (1 endemic), Bolivia, Chile (3 endemics), Argentina, Paraguay, S Brazil, and Uruguay, and intro to NE Brazil.

Patagonian South America Caryophyllaceae Genera

Alsineae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Holosteum 1 sp. intro to S Argentina; Stellaria 3 spp. native, inc. 1 endemic, to the Patagonian region and Falkland Is., and intro to the South Georgia Is.

Arenarieae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Arenaria 1 sp. cosmopolitan genus native to Patagonia.

Caryophylleae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Dianthus 1 sp. intro to C Chile and S Argentina; Gypsophila 1 sp. intro to S Argentina; Petrorhagia 1 sp. intro to S Argentina and C+S Chile; Saponaria 1 sp. intro to the region.

Paronychieae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Herniaria 1 sp. intro to C Chile and S Argentina; Paronychia 2 spp. native throughout the region; Philippiella monospecific endemic genus of C Chile and S Argentina.

Polycarpaeae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Cardionema 1 sp. native to S Argentina and the Falkland Islands and is introduced to South Georgia Is.; Polycarpon 1 sp. intro to C+S Chile.

Sagineae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Colobanthus 3 spp. native to Patagonia, including the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and 1 sp. that ranges S down to Antarctica; Sagina 1 sp. intro to Patagonia, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia Is.

Sclerantheae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Scleranthus 1 sp. intro to S Argentina.

Silineae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Agrostemma 1 sp. cosmopolitan weed, is introduced to C Chile and S Argentina; Silene ~10 spp. large cosmopolitan genus native and introduced to the Patagonia region, inc. 1 endemic, is introduced to the Falkland Is.

Sperguleae Tribe in Patagonian South America

Spergula 4 spp., inc. 3 native to Patagonia with 1 endemic to S Argentina, and a 4^th introduced to S Chile and Falkland Is.; Spergularia 5 spp. cosmopolitan genus native throughout Patagonia and the Falkland Is.    

Additional Information and References

• Visit Lyrae’s Dictionary of Botanical Terms to learn the terminology of botanists. Note that if you hover over most of the words in the articles, you can also get definitions from them there.
• Willis, Lyrae (Unpublished). Plant Families of North America. This is where all of the family descriptions come from. Below should be most of my references for this, along with my own personal observations throughout North America.
• Canadensys: Acadia University, Université de Montréal Biodiversity Centre, University of Toronto Mississauga, University of British Columbia. http://data.canadensys.net/explorer (accessed 2020 – current)
• FNA 1993+. Flora of North America. https://floranorthamerica.org/Main_Page. Accessed 2022-current.
• iNaturalist.org 2020+. https://www.inaturalist.org/. Accessed 2020-current. If you like plants or nature in general, please join the iNaturalist community and start sharing your observations with others. The data we track is invaluable for scientists like me wanting to track population changes over time.
• Korotkova, N., et al. (2021). Caryophyllaceae at Caryophyllales.org—THE authoritative source for all things Caryophyllaceae. 
• Neotropikey: Milliken, W., Klitgård, B., & Baracat, A. eds. 2009+. Neotropikey: Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics. www.kew.org/neotropikey.com (accessed 2020 – current).
• Patagonia Wildflowers: Wildflower Identification Site. https://patagoniawildflowers.org/ Accessed throughout the fall of 2020.
• POWO 2019+. Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/. Accessed 2020-current.
• Stevens, P. F. 2001+. Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 14, July 2017 [more or less continuously updated since]. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/
• USDA, NRCS. 2020+. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 2 June 2020). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC, USA; accessed 2020-present.
• Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. (1992). The Families of Flowering Plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 2nd May 2020. delta-intkey.com. Accessed spring through fall of 2020.
• WFO (2022+): World Flora Online. Published on the Internet: http://www.worldfloraonline.org. Accessed Spring 2022 – current

Copyright Information

The information and the photos on this site are free to use for educational purposes, with proper attribution. For other uses, please contact me first.

You can cite this site as Willis, Lyrae (2020+). Lyrae’s Nature Blog – Plant Families of North America. https://lyraenatureblog.com/

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