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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Umbellate Starwort
Stellaria umbellata Turcz. ex Karel. & Kir.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Pink (Caryophyllaceae)
Flowering: July-August
Field Marks: This starwort differs by having tiny, transparent bracts, oblong to ovate leaves, and petals, if present, much shorter than the sepals.
Habitat: Moist soil in woods and thickets.
Habit: Perennial herb with slender rootstocks.
Stems: Sprawling to upright, weak, branched, up to 1 foot long, smooth.
Leaves: Opposite, simple, oblong to ovate, up to 1 inch long, pointed at the tip, tapering to the base, smooth except for cilia near the base.
Flowers: Few to several in umber-like cymes, subtended by tiny, transparent bracts; flower stalks very slender, smooth, recurred at the tip.
Sepals: 5, green with whitish borders, up to 1/6 inch long, pointed at the tip.
Petals: 5 or absent, very tiny, much shorter than the sepals.
Stamens: 10.
Pistils: Ovary superior; styles 3.
Fruits: Capsules oblongoid to ovoid, up to 1/4 inch long, smooth; seeds many, light brown.

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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:27:27 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww55]