Spergula arvensis L.

Corn Spurry

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Corn Spurry is an introduced herbaceous annual in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae). It is native to Europe, but now is a cosmopolitan weed of agricultural areas with sandy soils. In Alabama it occurs in the southern half of the state. Corn Spurry occurs in fallow fields and on roadsides. It is an annual with a tap root. The stems are erect or ascending and much-branched. Stems are green in color, glandular, and terete or slightly angular. Leaves are opposite but appear whorled, with 2 clusters per node of 8-15 leaves. Leaves are simple, linear, appearing terete, revolute with an abaxial channel, and glabrous or glandular pubescent. Flowers are produced in terminal diffuse cymes. Flowers are cup shaped with 5 silvery sepals and 5 white or pinkish petals. The fruit is a capsule. Corn Spurry is sometimes cultivated as cattle fodder in nutrient poor sandy soils. Suring the Stone Age in Europe its oil-rich seeds were collected and used to make porridge. Corn Spurry can be a serious weed of grain crops.—A. Diamond

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Not Native

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