Stolons, petioles, peduncles, and pedicels spreading-hairy (usually densely so). 2n = 56.

Flowering spring. Sandy beaches, dunes, rocky shores, ocean bluffs, usually in salt spray zone; 0–10 m; B.C.; Alaska, Calif., Oreg., Wash.

Hybrids:

Fragaria ×ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier subsp. ananassa [Fragaria chiloensis (Linnaeus) Miller var. ananassa (Duchesne ex Rozier) L. H. Bailey], the garden or dessert strawberry (2n = 56). Fragaria ×ananassa originated under cultivation in Europe from crossings of the cultivated F. chiloensis forma chiloensis and F. virginiana. It is grown today on all continents and occasionally escapes from gardens.

Fragaria ×ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier subsp. cuneifolia (Nuttall ex Howell) Staudt [Fragaria cuneifolia Nuttall ex Howell; F. ×ananassa var. cuneifolia (Nuttall ex Howell) Staudt)]

Stolons spreading or appressed ascending-hairy. Leaves dark green to bluish green, slightly glaucous, sometimes dull, ± thin to ± thick, sometimes leathery, abaxial surface mostly not strongly reticulately veined, adaxial glabrous, often shiny; petiole usually densely spreading-hairy (hairs sometimes descending or appressed); terminal leaflets petiolulate, margins serrate to crenate in distal 1/3, terminal tooth shorter than adjacent teeth. Flowers 14–19 (pistillate) mm diam., 17.2–24.9 (staminate or bisexual) mm diam. (plants dioecious, gynodioecious, or trioecious); hypanthium 14.3–23.8 mm diam.; petals round to oval, margins distinct or overlapping. Achenes in shallow pits or embedded, dark reddish brown to dark brown, 1.4–2 mm; bractlets and sepals clasping; torus yellowish red to red, globose, flattened, or conic, not easily separated from hypanthium. 2n = 56.

Subspecies cuneifolia arose in nature from taxa in western North America (G. Staudt 1962). Wild-growing, reciprocal hybrid populations between Fragaria chiloensis subsp. pacifica and F. virginiana subsp. glauca occur in coastal areas between Vancouver Island and Point Sur, California. These plants were recognized by T. J. Howell (1897–1903) as F. cuneifolia Nuttall and by Staudt (1999) as F. ×ananassa subsp. cuneifolia.

Fragaria ×bringhurstii Staudt. Leaves mostly intermediate in texture and hairiness; flowers unisexual, intermediate, usually sterile, sometimes partially fertile; fruits not observed.

Fragaria ×bringhurstii is difficult to differentiate from F. chiloensis and F. ×ananassa subsp. cuneifolia. It has been found at eight localities on the coast of California, in Humboldt, Marin, Monterey, San Mateo, and Sonoma counties. Its origin as hybrids of F. chiloensis and F. vesca subsp. californica can be deduced from its chromosome numbers (2n = 5x = 35, 2n = 6x = 42, and 2n = 9x = 63) and morphology. Reduced and unreduced gametes were involved in both species. Partial fertility and abnormal gamete production in the hybrids may give rise to plants with new chromosome numbers hitherto not known in nature.