Genus Stellaria L. L., Sp. PI. ed. 1 (1753) 421; Gen. PI. ed. 5 (1754) 193. Fam: Caryophyllaceae Juss.
Genus: Stellaria L.
English Name: Stitchwort or Chickweed.
Description:
Annual or perennial herbaceous plants with floral and sterile shoots. Stems lying or rose slightly, more rarely errect, cylindrical or with four edges, naked or fibrous; lower inter- nodes weak, brittle, fragile. Leaves opposite, simple, entire, linear lanceolate to ovate, mostly sessile, rarely with handles without bract. Clusters usually top dihaziums; rarely single or two. Bracts membranous or herbaceous. Blossoms hermaphrodite. Sepals 5, ovate lanceolate to lanceolate, they are saved, the fruits fit to box. Petals 5, less or no, white, deep splitted. Stamens 10, less or absent. Pistils 3 fruit leaves with upper single station ovary. 3 bars. The fruit spherical or ovoid to cylindrical box splits up with 6 teeth to the middle or near the base. Seeds many, kidney oval- reniform with rough surface. Table for determining the types
1 At least the lower leaves of blossom stems with clear handles. Leaves ovate, ovate cordate or ovate oblong. Stems cylindrical ................................................................................................................... 2
1* All leaves of blossom stems sessile. Leaves narrow, linear, linear lanceolate to oblong, rarely elliptical or ovoid lanceolate. Stems with four edges .................................................................................. 5
2 Petals up to 2 times longer than sepals. Evenly fiber stem to tip glandular. Perennial ....................................................................................................................................... 1.Forest starlet - S. nemorum L.
2* Petals shorter, equal to slightly longer than the sepals or missing. Stem with 1 (2) longitudinal line of hairs or less naked. Annual plants ...................................................................................................... 3
3 Sepals 5 - 6.5 mm long. Petals equal to or longer than sepals. Stamens most 10. The seed typically longer than 1.3 mm ............................................................................ 3. Large starlet - S. neglecta Weihe
3* Sepals 2 - 5 mm. Petals shorter than sepals or missing. Stamens mostly 1 - 5, less often up to 10 or missing. Seed shorter than 1.3 mm ......................................................................................................... 4
4 Sepals 3 - 5 mm. Seeds 0.8 - 1.3 mm dark red brown. Stamens often 3 - 5, a red-purple anthers. Petals 3 - 5, usually developed (rarely absent) ................................ 2. Average starlet - S. media (L.) Vill.
4* Sepals 2 - 3 mm. Seeds 0.6 - 0.8 mm light yellow brown. Stamens most often 1 - 3, rarely 5, with gray purple anthers. Petals missing .....................................…....... 4. Pale starlet - S. pallida (Dum.) Piré
5 (1*) Bracts entirely grass, ribbon, green. Leaves 3 - 9 cm long. Blossoms 20 - 30 mm in diameter. Petals cut to the middle. Box ball .................................................. 5. S. grandiflora starlet - S. holostea L.
5* Bracts tunicates, green mean streak or fully webbed. Leaves 0.5 - 4 cm long. Blossoms 5 - 18 mm in diameter. Petals at least to the middle or near the base splitted. Box elongated ovoid ........................ 6
6 Leaves elliptic or ovate lanceolate, usually shorter than 1.5 cm. Petals at least with 1/3 to 2 times shorter than sepals. Calyx with funnel basis. Seeds 0.4 - 0.6 mm ........... 6. bogs starlet - S. alsine Grimm
6* Leaves linear, linear lanceolate to elliptic lanceolate, usually longer than 1.5 cm. Petals or almost equal or to 2 times longer than sepals. Calyx with a rounded base. Seeds 0.8 - 1.4 mm ......................... 7
7 Inflorescence consists usually of 2 – 9 blossoms. Bracts without cilia. Blossoms 12 - 18 mm in diameter ................................................................................................ 7. Swamp starlet - S. palustris Retz.
7* Inflorescence consists usually of 10 – 60 blossoms. Bracts with cilia. Blossoms 5 - 12 mm in diameter ......................................................................................................... 8 . Lawn starlet - S. graminea L.¹ Developed by Ivan Asenov.
From: „Флора на НР България”, том III, БАН, София, (1967)
Stellaria is a genus of about 90-120 species flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common names include stitchwort and chickweed.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
References: „Флора на НР България”, том III, БАН, София, (1967), Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaDistribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc.
SPECIES:
Stellaria holostea L. - Greater stitchwort or Addersmeat
Stellaria neglecta Weihe - Greater chickweed
Stellaria nemorum L. - Wood stitchwort
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