Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Stellaria media
common chickweed
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, wastelots, and other disturbed areas, often where moist.

Flowers: February-October

Origin: Introduced from Eurasia

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies, wasps

Description:
General:

Annual herb (sometimes overwintering in mild areas) with weak trailing stems 5-30 cm tall.

Leaves:

Opposite, broadly elliptic, petiolate, 10-25 mm long.

Flowers:

White, petals 5, deeply notched, to 5 mm long; in small leafy clusters at ends of stems.

Fruits:

Capsules 6-7 mm long.

Identification Notes:

Look for a distinct line of hairs running along each stem, and 5 small white deeply notched petals.

Accepted Name:
Stellaria media (L.) Vill.
Publication: Hist. Pl. Dauphiné. 3: 615. 1789.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Alsine media L.
Stellaria apetala Ucria ex Roem.
Stellaria media (L.) Vill. var. procera Klatt & Richter
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Stellaria media in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Stellaria media checklist entry

OregonFlora: Stellaria media information

E-Flora BC: Stellaria media atlas page

CalPhotos: Stellaria media photos

37 photographs:
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