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. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

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

Stellaria abortiva Stellaria alaschanica Stellaria alaskana Stellaria alsine Stellaria amblyosepala Stellaria americana Stellaria arenarioides Stellaria arisanensis Stellaria aquaticum - Water Chickweed Stellaria axillaris Stellaria bistyla Stellaria borealis Stellaria brachypetala Stellaria bungeana Stellaria calycantha Stellaria cherleriae Stellaria chinensis Stellaria ciliatisepala Stellaria congestiflora Stellaria corei Stellaria crassifolia Stellaria crassipes Stellaria crispa Stellaria cuspidata Stellaria decumbens Stellaria delavayi Stellaria depressa Stellaria dianthifolia Stellaria dichotoma Stellaria dicranoides Stellaria discolor Stellaria ebracteata Stellaria fennica Stellaria filicaulis Stellaria fontinalis Stellaria graminea - Lesser Stitchwort Stellaria gyangtseensis Stellaria gyirongensis Stellaria henryi Stellaria holostea - Greater Stitchwort Stellaria humifusa Stellaria imbricata Stellaria infracta Stellaria irrigua Stellaria lanata Stellaria lanipes

Stellaria littoralis Stellaria longifolia Stellaria longipes Stellaria mainlingensis Stellaria martjanovii Stellaria media - Common Chickweed Stellaria monosperma Stellaria neglecta - Greater Chickweed Stellaria nemorum - Wood Stitchwort Stellaria nepalensis Stellaria nipponica Stellaria nitens Stellaria obtusa Stellaria omeiensis Stellaria ovatifolia Stellaria oxycoccoides Stellaria pallida - Lesser Chickweed Stellaria palustris - Marsh Stitchwort Stellaria parva Stellaria parviumbellata Stellaria patens Stellaria petiolaris Stellaria petraea Stellaria pilosoides Stellaria porsildii Stellaria pubera - Star Chickweed Stellaria pusilla Stellaria radians Stellaria reticulivena Stellaria rotundifolia Stellaria ruscifolia Stellaria salicifolia Stellaria soongorica Stellaria souliei Stellaria stenopetala Stellaria strongylosepala Stellaria subumbellata Stellaria tibetica Stellaria uda Stellaria uliginosa - Bog Stitchwort Stellaria umbellata Stellaria vestita Stellaria winkleri Stellaria wushanensis Stellaria yunnanensis Stellaria zangnanensis

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.