About Pyxidanthera barbulata Michx.
Pyxidanthera barbulata Michx., commonly called flowering pixiemoss, is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Diapensiaceae family. It is native to the eastern United States, where it grows along the coast in areas ranging from Long Island to New Jersey, and from Virginia to South Carolina. Despite its common name, this species is not a moss. It is a low-growing subshrub that forms mats across the ground surface. It grows from a rhizome, and its stems produce roots at regular intervals where they touch the ground. Its leaves are crowded together, lance-shaped, and do not grow longer than one centimeter. Its flowers have pink sepals and white petals that reach up to roughly half a centimeter in length. This plant grows in dry, sandy soil under pine trees. While it can sometimes be found in wetlands, it is well adapted to dry environments. It is also adapted to habitats that regularly experience wildfire. It can be found growing in pine barrens, flatwoods, sandhills, and along the edges of pocosins.
