Candy flower

Montia sibirica (Linnaeus) Howell; M. sibirica var. bulbifera (A. Gray) B. L. Robinson; M. sibirica var. heterophylla (Torrey & A. Gray) B. L. Robinson

Plants annual or perennial, rhizomatous, producing bulblets or stolons; periderm absent. Stems 5-40 cm. Leaves: basal leaves petiolate, 3-20 cm, blade linear, lanceolate, or deltate, 2-7 × 1-5 cm; cauline leaves sessile, distinct, blade lanceolate to ovate, 1-5 cm. Inflorescences multibracteate; bracts leaflike, 5-30 mm. Flowers 8-20 mm diam., sepals 3-5 mm; petals white, candy-striped, or pink, 8-14 mm; ovules 3. Seeds (1-)3, 2-3 mm, shiny and smooth; elaiosome 1 mm. 2n = 12, 24, 36.

Flowering Feb-Aug. Thickets of red alder, dogwood, vine-leaf maple, moist shaded coniferous forests; 0-2000 m; B.C.; Alaska, Calif., Idaho, Mont., Oreg., Wash.; Eurasia (Russia).