Pale Spring Beauty

In April of 2007, we found Pale Montia (aka Pale Spring Beauty) plants on the bare sand between the beach and the houses in Beach Grove. I've been watching for them every year since, with no luck. Until now, 4 years later.

Claytonia exigua, aka Montia exigua aka Montia spathulata

These are tiny succulents; the tallest this year were about 2 inches high. They're translucent, leaves, stems and all, and glow in the sunlight in colours from grey-green to a dusty pink with lime green tints, to a rose pink, to a deep violet, all looking good enough to eat.

Another greyish pink plant, with flowers.

The central "stalks" are basal leaves. The true stems are round, topped with two leaves cupping a clump of white flowers.

Rosy pink.

These look as if they would be a pretty addition to a salad. I wondered if they are edible, so I asked Google.

Yes! The plant is a member of the Portulaca (Purslane) family, of which many are edible and even delicious, and next, of the genus Montia, which includes Miner's lettuce, a good salad vegetable. Other names for Spring Beauty include "Indian lettuce" and sandcress. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.

And now that I know that, I don't think I'll be sampling the next one I see. They're too tiny, too rare, and too beautiful to eat.

Notes along the way: Bioblitz homework

Later tonight, animalia from my lawn.

But for now, bits and pieces picked up as I organize and fill out my notes:

• Centipedes have one pair of legs per segment. Millipedes have two (mostly). They move them in sequence, so it looks like a wave moving down the body. So the one I found in the vacant lot was a centipede. One closer to home (and smaller) was a millipede.
• Sow bugs and pill bugs are not the same. Pill bugs form a ball when disturbed; sow bugs do not. (And I always called them all wood bugs, rolled up or not.)
• Google images works, unless you don't know what you're looking for. It helps to have at least a genus name.
• It was Montia exigua. Was. Now it's Claytonia exigua. At least I found it.
• Carex macrocephala is red-listed.
• Something weird: I am not in the least squeamish about assorted bugs and beasties, but whenever I see a photo of a millipede on someone's finger, I shudder involuntarily.
• Bug Guide is a great source. Of bug id, naturally.
• "Although they look white to the human eye, many springtails are beautifully colored. Since they are so small, people can't see the colors without a microscope." From The Field Museum.