Included in Arenaria stricta in Michigan Flora.

Rocky shores and rock crevices near the shores of the Great Lakes. Seemingly replacing Minuartia michauxii in the Upper Peninsula (except for Drummond Island).

A compact and densely tufted plant; our few Michigan specimens are 8–15 cm tall, while the mat-forming M. michauxii is typically (10–) 15–35 cm tall. A few specimens from dunes in the Lower Peninsula, otherwise typical of M. michauxii in form, do appear to have petals (at least some) shorter than the sepals.