[The Pink Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Chickweeds and Starworts of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Stellaria

Chickweed: Stellaria media (Synonyms: Alsine media, Stellaria apetala, Stellaria media ssp. media, Stellaria media var. procera )

Common Chickweed: Stellaria media

Boreal Starwort, Few-flowered Northern Starwort, Northern Starwort, Sitka Starwort: Stellaria borealis ssp. sitchana (Synonyms: Stellaria calycantha var. bongardiana, Stellaria calycantha var. sitchana) - Leaves lanceolate, broader near the base, and found in pairs along the length of the stem. Flowers in leafy-bracteate cymes. Sepals not 3 nerved. Petals shorter than the sepals or lacking.

Crisped Starwort, Curled Starwort: Stellaria crispa (Synonyms: Alsine crispa, Stellaria borealis var. crispa) - Stems glabrous. At least the lower leaves ovate with short petioles. Leaves with minutely wavy margins. Sepals strongly 3-nerved, 2.5-4 mm long with white-membranous margins. Flowers solitary inthe leaf axils.

Longleaf Starwort, Long-leaved Starwort: Stellaria longifolia (Synonym: Stellaria longifolia var. longifolia) - Leaves lance linear, found in pairs along the length of the glabrous stem. Sepals 3-nerved. Petals equal to or longer than the sepals.

Longstalk Starwort: Stellaria longipes ssp. longipes (Synonyms: Stellaria longipes var. altocaulis, Stellaria longipes var. laeta, Stellaria longipes var. longipes)

Chickweed: Stellaria media (Synonyms: Alsine media, Stellaria apetala, Stellaria media ssp. media, Stellaria media var. procera ) - Stems leafy throughout with at least the lower leaves ovate with petioles shorter than to equaling the blades. Stems, petioles and pedicels pubescent in longitudinal lines. Inflorescence either solitary flowers from the axils to a terminal, leafy-bracteate cyme of 3-7 flowers. The petals are shorter than the sepals.

Shining Chickweed, Shiny Starwort: Stellaria nitens (Synonym: Stellaria praecox) - Stems leafy generally with several pairs of much reduced leaves in the lower half. Inflorescence a narrow to moderately wide cyme. Petals generally lacking or up to half as long as the sepals.


Paul Slichter E-mail