Family: Caryophyllaceae
Stellaria media
Citation:
Villars, Hist. Pl. Dauph. 3:615 (1789).
Synonymy: Alsine media L., Sp. Pl. 272 (1753).
Common name: Chickweed, common chickweed.
Description:
Annual, stems weak, ascending, with a line of white hairs on one side leading down from the junction of the leaves and alternating at each node, to c. 40 cm high; leaves ovate, c. 18 mm long, c. 10 mm wide, the lower leaves petiolate, the upper sessile.
Flowers mostly in terminal cymes or less often axillary; pedicels glabrous; sepals 4-5 mm long, hairy; petals shorter, deeply 2-fid; stamens usually 3-10.
Capsule scarcely longer than the sepals; seeds c. 1 mm diam.
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Image source: fig. 148 in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 307.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, SE. Naturalised in all States. Native to ?Europe, now almost cosmopolitan.
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Conservation status:
naturalised
Flowering time: throughout the year, especially Sept. — Oct.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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