Stellaria L.
Chickweeds, Stitchworts, Starworts.
Caryophyllaceae, pink family.
Sp. Pl. 421. 1753.
Vegetative morphology. Plants perennial herbs; (0.5–)1–10(–15) cm high; vegetatively proliferating by bulbils or fragmentation (loose stem fragmentation), or not vegetatively proliferating by bulbils or fragmentation. Taproot absent. Caudex absent. Ground-level or under-ground stems horizontal; stoloniferous; elongate; 0.3–1.5 mm wide. Aerial stems erect, or ascending, or decumbent, or prostrate; glabrous, or sparsely hairy; stem hairs spreading, or erect. Leaves distributed along the stems; opposite; marcescent. Petioles absent. Leaf blade bases attenuate. Blades 1–15(–40) mm long; 0.5–5 mm wide. Blades spreading; herbaceous, or somewhat fleshy; elliptic, or lanceolate, or ovate; flat, or strongly keeled; appearing single-veined, or with inconspicuous veins. Blades adaxial surface dull, or glaucous; glabrous. Blades abaxial surface glabrous. Blade margins glabrous. Leaf apices acute.
Reproductive morphology. Flowering stems with leaves; glabrous (usually), or hairy (sparingly). Flowering stem hairs pubescent; simple; white or translucent. Flowers solitary, or in inflorescences. Inflorescence a dichasium; terminal, or axillary. Flowers per inflorescence 1–6; small, less than 5 mm in diameter or length, or medium-sized, 5–15 mm in diameter or length. Calyx sepals 5; free; 2–6 mm long. Calyx green, or green and purple; herbaceous, or herbaceous and scarious (on the margins); glabrous, or hairy. Calyx hairs glandular, or non-glandular; white or translucent (if applicable). Petals free; longer than the calyx; 5; white; obovate; deeply cleft (almost to the base); 2.5–8 mm long. Stamens 10; filaments glabrous. Anthers yellow, or red; ellipsoid; 0.1–1 mm long. Gynoecia superior. Carpels syncarpous; 3. Ovaries ovate; glabrous. Styles 3; free; 1–3 mm long. Stigmas per style 1. Placentation free central. Ovules 10–25. Fruit with calyx persisting; dry; a capsule; ovoid; dehiscent; opening with teeth at the top of the capsule; teeth 6. Fruit 3–6 mm long; 1.2–3 mm wide; black, or straw coloured; surface appearing veinless. Seeds few to several; 0.5–1 mm long; brown; with surfaces smooth, or verrucose, or rugose.
Chromosome information. 2n = 26, 52–107.
Distribution. Northern hemisphere distribution: circumpolar and circumboreal; Greenland, Canada, United States, Eurasia.
Economic uses. A species of chickweed (S. media) is widely used as a pot herb, salad herb, flavoring and medicinal herb. It was not traditionally used by the Inuit (Burt 2000).
Illustrations. • Stellaria crassifolia. Flowering plant, delicate and glabrous in all parts with freely branching and densely matted, slender stems. N.W.T., Tuktoyaktuk, near Pingo Park Lodge, 69°26'N, 133°01'W. Aiken and Brysting 01–116. CAN. • Stellaria humifusa. Plants growing prostrate on and sprawling across imperfectly drained mud flats in extensive salt meadow. Manitoba, Churchill, Beech Bay, in the tidal estuary of the Churchill River, south of the Port, 58°44'N, 94°10'W. Aiken and Brysting 01–022. CAN. • Stellaria longipes. Plant similar in appearance to S. monantha but fresh green and shiny. Nunavut, Rankin Inlet, adjacent to the graveyard, 62°48'N, 92° 06'W. Aiken and Brysting 01–057. CAN.
Cite this publication as: ‘S.G. Aiken, M.J. Dallwitz, L.L. Consaul, C.L. McJannet, L.J. Gillespie, R.L. Boles, G.W. Argus, J.M. Gillett, P.J. Scott, R. Elven, M.C. LeBlanc, A.K. Brysting and H. Solstad. 1999 onwards. Flora of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago: Descriptions, Illustrations, Identification, and Information Retrieval. Version: 29th April 2003. http://www.mun.ca/biology/delta/arcticf/’. Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993, 1995, 2000) should also be cited (see References).
