Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses

COMMON CHICKWEED

File Size: 36 KB

Stellaria media (L. ) Cyrillo

Johnson County, Kansas

Annual

Height: 2-16 inches

Family: Caryophyllaceae - Pink Family

Flowering Period: April, May, June

Stems:

Prostrate to ascending, 2 to 16 inches long, glabrous except for a single line of hairs along internode.

Leaves:

Opposite; petiole present on lower leaves, absent on upper leaves; blade ovate to elliptic, 1/5 to 1.6 inch long, 1/8 to 4/5 inch wide, base rounded to acute, tip acute to short-acuminate, surfaces glabrous or ciliate proximally.

Inflorescences:

Cymes, terminal

Flowers:

Pedicels ascending, straight or deflexed at base in fruit, 1/8 to 1.6 inch; sepals 5, lanceolate, 1/6 to 1/4 inch, margins scarious, apex obtuse, surface glandular-pubescent; petals (0) or 5, white, 1/25 to 1/5 inch, apex deeply bifid; stamens 3-5(-8); anthers red or violet.

Fruits:

Capsules oblong to oblong-ovoid, 1/8 to 1/5 inch; seeds reddish brown, globose to reniform, ca. 1/10 inch, tuberculate.

Habitat:

Lawns, alluvial woodlands and forests, disturbed sites, waste areas

Distribution:

Occurs statewide

Origin:

Introduced

Uses:

The Chippewa strained a decoction of leaves and used it as a wash for sore eyes.

Comments:

Stellaria, star, alluding to the flower.