Common chickweed

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Common chickweed leaves

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Common chickweed

Morphology

Stem

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.

Inflorescence

Cymes, terminal

Flower

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.

Fruit

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

Ecology

Habitat

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

Distribution

Occurs statewide

Practical Information

Uses

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

Additional Notes