Stellaria
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
| PlantDescription | StemDescription | LeafDescription | InflorescenceDescription | PedicelDescription | FlowerDescription | CapsuleDescription | SeedDescription | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stellaria alaskana | FNA: perennial, forming compact clumps, from elongate rhizomes. | FNA: ascending, branched at base, square, 3-10(-20) cm, glabrous. | FNA: Leaves clustered near base of each shoot, sessile; blade green, rarely glaucous, lanceolate (rarely narrowly so) to elliptic- or ovate-lanceolate, 0.8-2 cm × 1-7 mm, coriaceous, base round to cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous. | FNA: terminal, flowers usually solitary, rarely 2-3 on elongate pedicels; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2-8 mm, scarious. | FNA: erect, 1-50 mm, glabrous. | FNA: 10-20 mm diam.; sepals 5, 1-3-veined, narrowly lanceolate, triangular, (6.5-)7-10 mm, margins narrow, scarious, apex acuminate, glabrous; petals 5, equaling or shorter than sepals; stamens 10; styles 3, ascending. | FNA: green to straw colored, narrowly conic, 6-8 mm, equaling sepals, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: light brown, broadly reniform, 0.8-1.2 mm diam., rugose. |
| Stellaria borealis | FNA: perennial, often matted, rhizomatous. | FNA: prostrate to ascending or erect, usually diffusely branched, sharply 4-angled, (5-)25-50 cm, glabrous to finely papillate, rarely pubescent. | FNA: sessile; blade linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, rarely elliptic-lanceolate, 1-6 cm × 2-8 mm, base cuneate, margins eciliate or scabrid, sometimes ciliate towards base, apex acute. | FNA: with flowers solitary, terminal and axillary, or terminal, often copious, very lax, leafy cymes; bracts foliaceous, lanceolate, reduced distally to ca. 2 mm, ± scarious. | FNA: erect or patent, usually reflexed at maturity, 10-40 mm, glabrous. | FNA: 3-5 mm; sepals 5, 1-3-veined, lanceolate to ovate, 2-5 mm, margins scarious, apex acute, glabrous; petals 5, rarely absent, white or translucent, 1-3 mm, usually shorter than sepals; stamens 5; styles 3, erect to spreading, 0.9-2 mm. | FNA: greenish brown or straw colored, ovoid, 3-7 mm, more than 1-1.5 times as long as broad, exceeding sepals, apex acute, opening by 3 valves; carpophore very short or absent. | FNA: 10-20, brown, obovate, 0.7-0.9 mm on longest axis, smooth or slightly rugose. |
| Stellaria calycantha | FNA: perennial, forming clumps, from slender rhizomes. | FNA: erect or trailing, branched, square, weak, to 25(-35) cm, glabrous or pilose, never papillate. | FNA: sessile or subsessile; blade ovate to elliptic, rarely oblong, widest proximal to middle, 5-25 mm, thin, base round, margins entire, apex acute, glabrous or rarely ciliate. | FNA: terminal, 1-5-flowered cymes; bracts foliaceous. | FNA: ascending, not reflexed, 5-25(-50) mm, glabrous. | FNA: 3-5 mm; sepals 5, obscurely veined, ovate, 2-2.5 mm (rarely 3.5 in fruit), margins broad, scarious, apex broadly acute, glabrous; petals absent or 1-5, 1-1.5 mm, shorter than sepals, blade apex deeply lobed; stamens 5; styles 3, usually curved, 0.4-0.9 mm. | FNA: green, semitransparent, globose to broadly ovoid, 3-5 mm, to 1.5 times as long as broad, longer than sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 3 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: brown, ovate, 0.5-0.9 mm, smooth or shallowly tuberculate. |
| Stellaria crassifolia | FNA: perennial, delicate, forming small to large tangled mats or straggling through grass, from slender rhizomes. | FNA: diffusely branched, 4-angled, 3-30 cm, gla-brous. | FNA: sessile or subsessile; blade with midrib obscure, broadly elliptic-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, widest at or above middle, 0.2-0.8(-1.5) cm × to 2 mm, ± succulent, base cuneate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous; leaf blades in terminal buds sometimes become fleshy and form gemmae. | FNA: flowers usually solitary, terminal and in axils of distal leaves forming open, diffuse cymes; bracts foliaceous, 1-10 mm; 1 or 2 pairs of bracteoles sometimes present, 1-3 mm, herbaceous or with narrow membranous margins. | FNA: erect or sharply angled at base, becoming sharply curved at apex, 3-40 mm, glabrous. | FNA: 5-8 mm; sepals 5, 3-veined, narrowly triangular-lanceolate, 3-3.5(-4) mm, margins straight, narrow, scarious, apex acute, glabrous or rarely margins pubescent; petals 5, 2.5-5 mm, equaling to slightly longer than sepals; stamens 5 or 10; styles 3, ascending, curved at tip, ca. 2 mm. | FNA: straw colored, conic to ellipsoid, 4-5 mm, longer than sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: reddish brown, reniform to round, 0.7-1 mm diam., rugose. |
| Stellaria crispa | FNA: perennial, forming small to large mats, from slender rhizomes. | FNA: trailing to ascending, branched, 4-angled, 10-60 cm, glabrous. | FNA: subsessile; blade broadly elliptic to ovate, 0.4-2.6 cm × 2-15 mm, base round to cuneate, margins entire, apex acuminate, glabrous or with a few scattered cilia. | FNA: flowers solitary in leaf axils; bracts absent. | FNA: ascending, straight, mostly 5-30 mm, glabrous. | FNA: 4-5 mm; sepals 5, prominently 3-veined, lanceolate, 2-4 mm, margins broadly scarious, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous; petals usually absent, rarely 1-5 and much shorter than sepals; stamens 10 or fewer; styles 3, spreading to ascending, curved but not curled, ca. 1 mm. | FNA: straw colored or brownish, ovoid to ovoid-ellipsoid, 3.5-6 mm, equaling or slightly exceeding sepals, apex broadly acute, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: brown, broadly elliptic, 0.7-1 mm (longest axis), distinctly rugose. |
| Stellaria humifusa | FNA perennial, forming small to large mats or clumps, from slender rhizomes. | FNA decumbent, freely branched, square, 2-20 cm, glabrous, rooting at proximal nodes. | FNA Leaves sessile; blade elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 0.4-1.5 cm × 1-5 mm, succulent, base cuneate to rounded, margins entire, apex acute to obtuse, glabrous or with few cilia along margins. | FNA flowers solitary in axils of foliage leaves; bracts absent. | FNA ascending, straight or nearly so, usually 5-10(-30) mm, glabrous. | FNA ca. 10 mm diam.; sepals 5, prominently 1-3-veined, lanceolate, 4-5 mm, margins convex, narrow, scarious, apex acute, glabrous; petals 5, 4-6 mm, equaling sepals; stamens 10; styles 3, ascending and outwardly curved, 1-1.5 mm. | FNA straw colored, ovoid, 4-5 mm, equaling sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA pale brown, broadly and obliquely reniform, 0.8-1 mm diam., smooth to slightly rugose. |
| Stellaria longifolia | FNA: perennial, forming loose clumps, from elongate rhizomes. | FNA: erect or straggling, branched, square, 10-35 cm, glabrous but angles minutely papillate-scabrid. | FNA: sessile; blade green to yellowish green, never glaucous, linear to very narrowly elliptic, widest at or beyond middle, 0.8-4 cm × 1-3 mm, not coriaceous, base attenuate, apex acuminate to acute, glabrous to sparingly ciliate at base, margins minutely papillate-scabrid; proximal leaves shorter and wider. | FNA: terminal, widely divaricate, 2-many-flowered cymes; bracts lanceolate, 1-5 mm, scarious, apex acuminate. | FNA: straight or somewhat arcuate, commonly 3-30 mm, glabrous or scabrous. | FNA: 5-9 mm diam.; sepals 5, obscurely 3-veined, ovate-elliptic, 2-4 mm, margins scarious, apex acute, glabrous; petals 5, 2-3.5 mm, ± equaling sepals; stamens 5-10; styles 3, ascending, ca. 1 mm. | FNA: blackish purple or straw colored, ovoid-conic, 3-6 mm, much longer than sepals, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: brown, broadly reniform, 0.7-0.8 mm diam., slightly rugose. |
| Stellaria longipes | FNA: perennial, forming small to large clumps or mats, or diffuse, from slender rhizomes. | FNA: erect to straggling, branched or not, 4-angled, 3-32 cm, glabrous or softly pubescent, angles not minutely papillate-scabrid. | FNA: sessile; blade green, frequently glaucous, 1-3-veined, midrib prominent, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, widest at base, 0.4-2.6(-4) cm × 1-4 mm, strongly coriaceous or not, base round, margins entire, convex, glabrous or ciliate, apex acute to acuminate, not spinescent, shiny, smooth, glabrous or sparingly villous, base usually glabrous, rarely with few cilia. | FNA: with flowers solitary, or terminal, 3-30-flowered (rarely more) cymes; bracts lanceolate, 2-10 mm, herbaceous with scarious margins, or scarious throughout, glabrous or ciliate. | FNA: ascending to erect, straight, 5-30 mm, glabrous or softly pubescent. | FNA: 5-10 mm diam.; sepals 5, 3-veined, midrib prominent, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3.5-5 mm, margins convex, narrow, scarious, sometimes ciliate, apex acute, glabrous or pubescent; petals 5, 3-8 mm, 1-1.5 times as long as sepals; stamens 5-10; styles 3(-6), ascending, curled at tip, ca. 1.5 mm. | FNA: blackish purple or straw colored, ovoid to ovoid-lanceoloid, 4-6 mm, 1.5-2 times as long as sepals, apex broadly acute, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: brown, reniform to globose, 0.6-0.9 mm diam., shallowly tuberculate to smooth. |
| Stellaria media | FNA: annual or winter annual, green, with slender taproot. | FNA: decumbent or ascending, diffusely branched, 4-sided, 5-40 cm, with single line of hairs along each internode. | FNA: petiolate (proximal) or ± sessile (distal); blade usually green, ovate to broadly elliptic, 0.5-4 cm × 2-20 mm, base round to cuneate, margins entire, apex acute or shortly acuminate, ± glabrous or ciliate at base. | FNA: terminal, 5-many-flowered cymes; bracts ovate and shortly acuminate to lanceolate-acute, 1-40 mm, herbaceous. | FNA: ascending, usually straight, deflexed at base in fruit, 3-40 mm, usually with line of hairs. | FNA: 2-5 mm diam.; sepals 5, with obscure midrib, ovate-lanceolate, 4.5-5(-6) mm, margins narrow, scarious, apex obtuse, usually glandular-hairy; petals absent or 5, 1-4 mm, shorter than to equaling sepals; stamens 3-5(-8); anthers red-violet; styles 3, outwardly curved, becoming curled, 0.5-1 mm. | FNA: green to straw colored, ovoid-oblong, 3-5 mm, somewhat longer than sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 6 valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: reddish brown, broadly reniform to round, 0.9-1.3 mm diam., with obtuse, round, or flat-topped (broader than tall) tubercles. |
| Stellaria ruscifolia | FNA: perennial, forming small to moderate clumps, from elongate rhizomes. | FNA: erect, branched, 4-angled, 3-20 cm, glabrous. | FNA: sessile; blade ovate to broadly lanceolate, widest below middle, 0.4-2 cm × 2-6 mm, coriaceous, base round, margins entire, apex acuminate, spinous, glabrous. | FNA: flowers solitary, subterminal in axils of foliage leaves, or terminal, 2-5-flowered cymes; bracts (when present) lanceolate, distally reduced, 3-14 mm, herbaceous, margins scarious, apex acuminate. | FNA: stiffly erect, 5-40 mm, glabrous. | FNA: 10-13 mm diam.; sepals 5, 3-veined, lanceolate, 4.5-6 mm, margins narrow, scarious, apex acute, glabrous or sparsely pilose; petals 5, 5-7 mm, 1-1.5 times as long as sepals, blade apex with lobes oblanceolate; stamens 10, in 2 whorls; styles 3(-4), ascending and outwardly curved, 2 mm. | FNA: olive green, ovoid, 4-6 mm, equaling and enclosed in sepals, opening by 6(-8) valves; carpophore absent. | FNA: brown, reniform-rotund, 0.8-1.2 mm, rugose. |
- from FNA:
- Stellaria humifusa is often confused with S. crassifolia, but has thicker stems and fleshy leaves that wrinkle and tend to turn brownish when dried. Also, in S. crassifolia the long pedicels are very slender and sharply angled below the capsule.
- Stellaria crassifolia is often confused with S. humifusa, but the former is a much more slender, delicate species with long pedicels that are sharply angled below the capsule.
- Stellaria longifolia often is confused with forms of S. longipes but differs in having leaves that are widest at or above the middle and in having the angles of the stem and/or the leaf margins minutely papillate-scabrid. The capsules can be either straw colored or black. Plants with black capsules have been named var. atrata.
- Stellaria alaskana is closely related to S. longipes; it differs in its exceptionally long, narrow, prominently veined sepals and larger flowers in which the petals are usually shorter than the sepals. Some specimens appear to intergrade with S. longipes. The single lowland record, from the Alaska Peninsula, is from one such intermediate population. Although it has the characteristic sepals of S. alaskana, it is a straggling plant with elongate stems and narrow, linear-lanceolate leaves.
Notes (until able to recognize species):
S. humifusa and S. crassifolia similar, but former has fleshy leaves and also likes salt marsh-type locations. Also, S. humifusa has inconspicuously three-nerved sepals while S. crassifolia has a single inconspicuous nerve.
S. longipes has a prominent midrib to separate from S. humifusa and S. crassifolia. Also S. longipes has prominently three-nerved sepals.
S. crispa
All of the above have axillary flowers. Remaining species have terminal flowers (S. borealis can have both terminal and axillary though it seems never axillary alone.)
S. media is only species with petiolate leaves. Leaves also have a bit of hairiness in lines - others do not.
S. longifolia
