Gypsophila muralis L.
Low baby’s breath, annual gypsophila, cushion baby’s-breath
Low baby’s breath is an annual European native, now naturalized in northeastern North America. Many cultivars are available.
Plants: 2–12″ (5–30 cm) high, an explosion of tiny branching stems and diminutive flowers. Stems are usually hairless.
Leaves: Simple, opposite, lanceolate or linear, attached directly to the stem, and ⅛–1¼″ ⨉ 7.9–78.7 mils (3–32 ⨉ 0.2–2 mm). They are hairless and toothless.
Flowers: Lavendar to pink to red, or white, with 5 petals and 10 stamens. Each flower is ⅛–3/16″ (3.5–6 mm) around. The calyx at the base of the flower is ⅛″ (3.2 mm) long, with five triangular lobes. Flower stalks (pedicels) are 1/16–¾″ (2–20 mm) long. Flowers appear from July to September.
Fruits: Oval-elliptic capsules about ⅛ ⨉ ⅛″ (3.2 ⨉ 5 mm). Its four lobes contain many tiny blackish bumpy seeds.
Habitats: Disturbed soils, meadows, and fields.
Online References:
Psammophiliella muralis (L.) Ikonn.
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 6″ (18 × 14 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (20 × 14 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.8 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.8 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 8.8 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Pepperell High School Parkling Lot, Pepperell, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
6/25/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 6″ (21 × 15 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Caryophyllidae | Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts |
| Order | Caryophyllales | Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants |
| Family | Caryophyllaceae | Pink or carnation family |
| Genus | Gypsophila | Loving gypsum, due to the habitat of one species |
| Species | muralis | Growing on walls |
Gypsophila muralis description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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