S. rubra: annual or biennial; stems numerous, branching from the base, forming spreading or prostrate tufts, 3-4-6 inches long, glabrous; leaves narrow-linear, the scarious stipules at the base conspicuous; flowers usually pink, rarely nearly white, on short pedicels, in forked cymes, usually leafy at the base; petals shorter, or rarely rather longer than the sepals; seeds more or less flattened, roughish, often surrounded by a narrow, scarious wing or border. - Sandy or gravelly waste places, chiefly maritime. Fl. July, August.

Var. marina: leaves thicker, somewhat fleshy; flowers larger; the sepals 2-3 lines long; seeds usually bordered, smooth. - Sea-coast.