Minuartia biflora (L.) Schinz. & Thell.

Minuartia species are annual, perennial or rarely undershrubs, caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem erect or prostrate, usually branched from the base, angular or terete, glabrous or pubescent, rootstock woody, stout and filiform. Leaves simple, opposite, linear lanceolate-oblanceolate to linear elliptic, base sometimes connate, margin entire, apex acute to acuminate, rigid, herbaceous to succulent, glabrous or pubescent, 1 to 3 veined, petiole subsessile to sessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence usually in terminal or axillary, open or remote clustered cymes or solitary. Flowers bisexual, pentamerous, pedicel erect in fruit or rarely reflexed, bracts paired, margins scarious or herbaceous, sepals 5, free, green, linear lanceolate to ovate, margins herbaceous to scarious, apex obtuse to acute with 2 parallel white stripes on either side or the midvein, 3-9 veined, petals 5, free, white, pink, base clawed, margin entire, apex emarginated or notched, rarely absent. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, arise from hypantium, anthers 2-locular, staminodes absent, nectarines 5. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules many, styles 3, filiform. Fruit capsule, ovoid-ellipsoid, dehiscing by 3 incurved valves. Seeds many, reniform-suborbiculate, compressed or plump, blackish brown, smooth or reticulate, exstrophiolate.

Minuartia species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: July-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals.

Perennial herbs, slender about 3-9 cm tall, caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem suberect or ascending, shoots ascending or prostrate, flowering shoots somewhat erect, glabrous or retrorsely pubescent in lines, rootstock woody, stout. Leaves simple, opposite, crowded or dense on the vegetative shoots, arranged laxly on flowering shoots, linear oblong-spathulate to linear elliptic, about 7-13 x 0.6-1.2 mm across, base slightly connate, margin subentire or dentate crenate, apex acute, erect or outwardly curved, herbaceous to succulent, shiny, glabrous, flexuous, 1-3 veined, petiole sessile to subsessile, exstipulate. Inflorescence usually in terminal or axillary, paired or few flowered, open cymes. Flowers bisexual, penta-merous, cup shaped, pedicel glandular hairy, about 4-8 mm long, erect in fruit or rarely reflexed, bracts paired, lanceolate, margins herbaceous, sepals 5, free, green, linear lanceolate to ovate, margins herbaceous to scarious, apex obtuse to acute, hooded or not, about 3-5 x 1.5-2 mm across, with 2 parallel white stripes on either side or the midvein, 3 veined, petals 5, free, white, pink, base clawed, margin entire, finely veined, apex truncate or notched, about 1 and half times as long as sepals. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, about 2-2.5 mm long, arise from hypantium, anthers 2-locular, about 0.5 mm across, staminodes absent, nectarines 5. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules many, styles 3, filiform. Fruit capsule, ovoid-ellipsoid, about 5-6 mm long, dehiscing by 3 incurved valves, longer than the sepals. Seeds many, reniform-ovoid, about 0.7-0.8 mm long, compressed or plump, blackish brown, smooth or slightly reticulate, exstrophiolate.

Minuartia species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots, powdery mildews and moulds.

Rocky slopes and gravelly places, altitude above 3300 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).