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• All other flowering non-woody plants
• All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
• Stellaria media

Stellaria media — common starwort, common stitchwort

Facts

Common stitchwort is a very variable species that has been an agricultural weed in Europe since ancient times, and is now introducted to every continent. Its seeds can survive in the soil for over fifty years making it nearly impossible to eradicate.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther color

  there is a noticeable pink, reddish or purplish tint to the anthers

  Anther opening

  the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Calyx symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

  Carpels fused

  the carpels are fused to one another

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla morphology

  NA

  Corolla palate

  no

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Filament surface

  the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  Flower description

  the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

  Flower diameter

  2–5 mm

  Flower number

  At least 5

  Flower petal color

  white

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Form of style

  the flower has two or more completely separate styles

  Fringed petal edges

  the petals are not fringed

  Fused stamen clusters

  NA

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused

  Hairs on flower stalk

  the flower stalk has hairs on it

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Inflorescence one-sided

  the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Interior flower disk

  the flower has an interior disc

  Length of flower stalk

  3–40 mm

  Length of peduncle

  At least 0.8 mm

  Marks on petals

  there are no noticeable marks on the petals

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of branches in umbel

  0

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  3

  Ovary position

  the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures

  Petal and sepal colors

  white

  Petal appearance

  the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)

  Petal base

  the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base

  Petal folds or pleats

  the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal length

  1–4 mm

  Petal length relative to sepals

  • the petals are about equal in length to the sepals
  • the petals are shorter than the sepals

  Petal number

  0–5

  Petal shape

  the petal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)

  Petal tip shape

  the petal tip is lobed or fringed

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Raceme attachment (Veronica)

  NA

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  Scales inside corolla

  no

  Sepal and petal color

  the sepals are different from the petals

  Sepal appearance

  the sepals are green or brown, and leaf-like in texture

  Sepal appendages

  the sepals do not have appendages on them

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Sepal color

  green to brown

  Sepal features

  one or more sepals have glands that are raised from the surface by a stalk

  Sepal length

  4.5–6 mm

  Sepal number

  5

  Sepal relative length

  NA

  Sepal shape

  • the sepal outline is lanceolate (lance-shaped; narrow, gradually tapering from the base to the tip)
  • the sepal outline is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Sepal texture

  • the sepals are either very thin but flexible, like a membrane, or they are leaf-like in texture
  • the sepals are thin and dry, paperlike

  Sepal tip shape

  the sepal tip is obtuse (is bluntly pointed)

  Sepal uniformity

  all the sepals are about the same size

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  the sepals are separate from one another

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals

  Stamen number

  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8

  Stamens fused

  the stamens are not attached to one another

  Staminodes

  there are no staminodes on the flower

  Stigma position

  the stigmas are positioned at the tip of the style

  Style length

  0.5–1 mm

  Style petal-like

  the styles are not petal-like

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  NA

  Achene shape

  NA

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  NA

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Capsule ribs

  the capsule has no prominent ribs or wings

  Capsule splitting

  the capsule splits by six main valves, teeth or pores

  Carpel beak length

  0 mm

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit cross-section

  the fruit is round in cross-section

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  3–5 mm

  Fruit length relative to sepals

  the fruit is longer than its associated sepals

  Fruit locules

  one

  Fruit shape

  • the fruit is obloid (longer than wide and with rounded ends)
  • the fruit is ovoid (egg-shaped)

  Fruit stalk orientation

  • the fruits curve or droop downwards
  • the fruits point upward or spread or curve outward

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  0 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Ovary stipe

  the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe

  Ovary stipe length

  0 mm

  Placenta arrangement

  the plant has free-central placentation, where the ovules develop on a central column in a compound ovary lacking septa or with septa at the base only

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  0

  Seed length

  0.9–1.3 mm

  Seed surface

  the seed has tubercles on it (swellings or projections of a different color or texture than the seed)

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Wings on fruit

  the fruit does not have wings on it

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)

  Lifespan

  the plant lives only a single year or less

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Plants darken when dry

  no

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  there are only slender roots on the plant

• Leaves

  Bracteole edges

  NA

  Bracteole length

  0 mm

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  0

  Bracteole shape

  NA

  Bracteoles

  there are no bracteoles on the plant

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

  0 mm

  Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

  0

  Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

  0 mm

  Floral bract texture

  the floral bracts are green, with a leaf-like texture

  Floral bracts

  the flower has one or more bracts associated with it

  Flower bract length

  1–40 mm

  Hairs on leaf stalk

  • the petiole has hairs on it
  • the petiole has no hairs on it

  Hairs on underside of leaf

  the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

  Hairs on upper side of leaf

  the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

  Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

  no

  Inflated hairs on leaf

  the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it

  Leaf arrangement

  opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  • the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
  • the leaf has no stalk

  Leaf blade base shape

  the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow

  Leaf blade base symmetry

  the leaf blade base is symmetrical

  Leaf blade bloom

  the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom

  Leaf blade edges

  the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

  Leaf blade flatness

  the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges

  Leaf blade hairs

  NA

  Leaf blade length

  5–40 mm

  Leaf blade primary vein pattern

  the secondary veins branch off at intervals from the primary vein

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf blade vein pattern

  the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin

  Leaf blade veins

  the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)

  Leaf blade width

  2–20 mm

  Leaf duration

  the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf hair orientation

  NA

  Leaf shiny

  the upper side of the leaf is very shiny

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  • the leaves have leaf stalks
  • the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem

  Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

  • NA
  • the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

  Leaf stalk length

  0–10 mm

  Leaf teeth and lobes

  the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

  Leaf tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)

  Leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Leaf types

  • NA
  • There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).

  Leaf variation

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaflet number

  0

  Leaflet petiolules

  NA

  Leaves per node

  there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Pinnately compound leaf type

  NA

  Specific leaf type

  the leaves are simple (lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)

  Stipels

  NA

  Stipule edges

  NA

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipule fused to leaf stalk

  NA

  Stipule length

  0 mm

  Stipule shape

  NA

  Stipules

  there are no stipules on the plant

  Teeth per side of leaf blade

  0

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields

• Scent

  Plant odor

  the plant does not have much of a smell

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Flowering stem cross-section

  the flowering stem is roughly square

  Hair between stem nodes

  the stem has hairs between the nodes

  Hairs between stem nodes

  the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled

  Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

  no

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Plant height

  5–40 cm

  Stem bloom

  there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

  Stem hair distribution

  the hairs on the stem are arranged in lines running down the stem from the edges of the leaf bases

  Stem nodes swollen

  the stem is swollen at the nodes

  Stem orientation

  • the stems are upright or angled outwards
  • the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips

  Stem roughness between nodes

  the stem does not feel rough

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

  Wings on stem

  the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae