Montia fontana L.

Blinks

• State Rank: S2
• Global Rank: G5
• State Status: Special Concern

Habitat: Rills, pools, and ditches on or near the Atlantic . [Rocky coastal (non-forested, upland)]

Range: St. Anne des Monts, Quebec; Maine, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Labrador, Newfoundland, and across arctic America, extending south in the mountains to California. Also in the Andes of South America, in Australasia and in northern Europe and Asia.

Aids to Identification: Montia fontana is a low, weak, densely tufted herb that grows in diffuse clumps; these often have a tangled appearance. It has small opposite leaves and tiny, inconspicuous flowers that have 5 petals but only 2 sepals. The fruit is a shiny, black achene (single-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruit); typically two, occasionally three achenes.

Ecological characteristics: Occurs in small pools and seepy areas on coastal ledgy or peaty shores and islands.

Phenology: Flowers in the summer, senesces around August leaving a mass of decaying, mushy foliage with the shiny, black seeds scattered throughout it.

Family: Portulacaceae

Synonyms: Claytonia fontana (L.) R.J. Davis; Montia fontana L. var lamprosperma (Cham.) Fenzl; Montia lamprosperma Cham.

Known Distribution in Maine: This rare plant has been documented from a total of 10 town(s) in the following county(ies): Hancock, Knox, Washington.

Reason(s) for rarity: Habitat restricted.

Conservation considerations: Typically found in small populations but appears well established where it does grow. Appears little threatened by human activities.

These last photos are all of the same plant. One photo shows blinks growing against an iris stem, with other species, and here you get a size comparsion with clover and violets. The close-up is of the same plant, and the seeds are from this plant. You can see that this species may be difficult to see in the field as they are small, low-growing, and typically in wet places.