Stellaria


Read about Stellaria in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

Stellaria (Latin, star, referring to the form of the flower). Caryophyllaceae. Annual or perennial herbs, mostly diffuse, tufted or weakly ascending, glabrous or pubescent, of little cultural value.

Leaves opposite, simple: fls. usually white, in terminal or axillary, naked or leafy paniculate cymes or rarely subsolitary; sepals 5, very rarely 4; petals just as many as the sepals, 2-cleft or rarely laciniate or only emarginate; stamens 10 or fewer by abortion; ovary 1-celled: caps. globose, ovoid or oblong, dehiscent by as many or twice as many teeth as there are carpels.— About 100 species, scattered all over the world but chiefly in the temperate regions.


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Stellaria
Greater stitchwort, Stellaria holostea
Greater stitchwort, Stellaria holostea
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Stellaria
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Species

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.

Selected species
Lesser stitchwort, Stellaria graminea

Food Use

Chickweeds are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Angle Shades, Heart and Dart, Riband Wave, Setaceous Hebrew Character and the Coleophora case-bearers C. coenosipennella (feeds exclusively on Stellaria spp), C. lineolea (recorded on S. graminea), C. lithargyrinella (recorded on S. holostea), C. solitariella (feeds exclusively on S. holostea) and C. striatipennella.

Uses

Some species, including Stellaria media, are used as leaf vegetables, often raw in salads.

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