Plants maritime, glabrous; rhizomes spreading. Stems simple or branched, 5–25 (–50) cm. Leaf-blades usually long-elliptic to ovate, sometimes lanceolate to oblanceolate, obovate, or broadly elliptic, 4–46 × 0.5–20 mm, succulent, margins often crenulate, apex acute to acuminate or apiculate. Pedicels 2–10 (–26) mm. Flowers strongly honey-scented; sepals ovate, 3.5–7 mm; petals spatulate to narrowly oblanceolate, abruptly constricted toward base, 2.5–6 mm in staminate flowers, 0.8–2 mm in pistillate flowers; filaments 2.5–5 mm in staminate flowers; anthers 0.5–0.7 mm, 0.5–0.8 mm in pistillate flowers. Capsules ovoid to subglobose, 5–10 × (4.5–) 5–12 mm, fleshy or chartaceous. Seeds 2–4 mm, rugulose. 2n = 66, 68, 70.

Distribution

• Generated Map
• Legacy Map

B.C., Man., N.B., N.S., N.W.T., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Nunavut, Ont., P.E.I., Que., Yukon, Alaska, Conn., Maine, Mass., Md., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Oreg., Wash., Coastal North America, Eurasia

Discussion

Subspecies 4 (3 in the flora).

Honckenya peploides is polymorphic. A number of species and infraspecific taxa have been described from various parts of its geographical range. Recently, four subspecies of H. peploides have been recognized (A. Kurtto 2001b; V. V. Petrovsky 1971, 2000), as here; subsp. peploides occurs along European coasts. Honckenya is subdioecious (Petrovsky 1971, 2000; T. Tsukui and T. Sugawara 1992), and is pollinated largely by small bees, hover-flies, flies, and ants (Tsukui and Sugawara). The report of Honckenya (as Ammodenia) in Chile is an error based on G. Macloskie (1903–1914, vol. 1) (C. Marticorena, pers. comm.).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Honckenya peploides subsp. diffusa, Honckenya peploides subsp. major, Honckenya peploides subsp. robusta

Key

1	Plants stout; stems 3-6 mm diam., ascending to weakly erect; pedicels 2-3 mm	Honckenya peploides subsp. robusta
1	Plants slender; stems 0.5-3 mm diam., prostrate to decumbent; pedicels 3-26 mm	> 2
2	Stems 10-30(-50) cm × 1-3 mm, few; internodes of main stem 8-40(-60) mm; main stem leaves widely spaced, conspicuously larger than those of lateral branches, blade elliptic-obovate to broadly elliptic or narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, (10-)20-46 × (0.5-)10-20 mm; pedicels (3-)8-16(-26) mm	Honckenya peploides subsp. major
2	Stems 5-15(-21) cm × 0.5-2.5 mm, numerous; internodes of main stem 5-30 mm; main stem leaves evenly spaced, similar in size to those of lateral branches, blade elliptic or ovate to obovate, 4-20(-30) × 3-9(-18) mm; pedicels 3-10(-15) mm	Honckenya peploides subsp. diffusa