Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
14. Caryophyllaceae, the Pink Family
3. Stellaria L. -- Stitchwort2. Stellaria longifolia Muhl. ex Willd. -- Long-leaved stitchwort
Stems weak, decumbent to ascending, often sprawling among surrounding vegetation, prominently 4-angled, usually freely branched, 1-4.5 dm long. Leaves spreading to ascending, linear to narrowly lanceolate or oblanceolate, widest at or above the middle, acute at both ends, 1-5 cm long, 0.8-5(8) mm wide. Inflorescence widely branched, the pedicels spreading or reflexed with age, 1-8 cm long, subtended at the base by a pair of small scarious bracts. Flowers few to many; sepals 3-5 mm long, acute; petals equaling or slightly exceeding the sepals. Capsules greenish-yellow or occasionally dark brown at maturity, ovoid, usually surpassing the calyx. Seeds golden-brown or light reddish-brown, oblong, 0.7-1 mm long. Late May--Jul. Wet meadows, boggy areas, stream banks, shores and moist woods; frequent in e, c and nw ND, e, s and the Black Hills in SD and the NE Sandhills; (Circumboreal, in N.Amer. s to SC, LA, AZ and CA).
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