Caryophyllaceae
(Pinks & Carnations)

Honckenya peploides  Linnaeus 1753 (Sea Sandwort) is a widely-distributed plant with fleshy leaves that grows on Atlantic and Pacific beach margins around the Northern hemisphere, tolerating salt spray and Arctic cold. Small white flowers are followed by brown domed seed capsules. Roots grow very deep into the substrate. The plant is said to be edible as a pot-herb or pickled.
 
Photographed on a shingle beach at Littlehampton, UK.

Silene acaulis cv. "Frances"  Jacquin 1762 (Moss Campion)
 
A succulent member of a mostly non-succulent genus. The plants form a mound of tiny rosettes with fleshy triangular leaves. Underneath the mound of leaves is a substantial tap-root. The flowers on the Southern side of each cushion develop first, followed by those on the opposite side. The small pink flowers have 5 petals with slightly notched blunt ends.

Silene acaulis is distributed across the Arctic and high mountains of Eurasia including Great Britain, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and down the Rocky Mountains of North America to Mexico, usually growing among rocks and gravel. However, the species exhibits considerable variation with numerous sub-species described.
 
   Silene acaulis ssp. acaulis from Arctic N. America has stubby short leaves as depicted above.
   Silene acaulis ssp. subacaulescens from the Rocky Mountains into Mexico is a less compact plant with longer, narrower leaves, and larger flowers.
 
This plant has been used for food but, as it contains saponins, significant consumption is probably best avoided. Being native to cold terrains, it is hard to grow in warm conditions.