Stellaria neglecta

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Stellaria neglecta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Stellaria
Species:
S. neglecta
Binomial name
Stellaria neglecta

Stellaria neglecta, greater chickweed, is an annual to short-lived herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Europe and Asia, where it grows in hedges and woodland margins on neutral to slightly acid, damp soils, and is widespread but rarely abundant. It has been introduced to North America, where it has been spreading in recent decades.

Description[edit]

A sprawling annual (to short-lived perennial) with weak branching stems that are usually decumbent at the base, ascending distally to around 80–90 cm, often supported by other plants. The stems are cylindrical and glabrous except for a single line of hairs that runs lengthways, changing sides at each node. Other parts of the plant are usually entirely glabrous. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, the lower ones having long (2-5 cm), narrowly-winged stalks and a broadly oval-triangular blade about 3 cm long by 1.5 cm wide. The upper leaves are sessile or only very shortly petiolate, and slightly larger are more oval. The leaves have one strong central vein along the midrib and about 5 lateral veins on each side.[1][2][3]

The upper leaves are sessile and somewhat rectangular in outline

The flowers are borne singly in the uppermost leaf axils on slender 2-3 cm stalks, initially spreading and reflexed, later erect. Each flower has five sepals, 5−6.5 mm long, lanceolate, glabrous or rarely pubescent, with an acute apex. There are also five white petals which are divided almost to the base, giving the impression that there are ten. The petals are usually just slightly shorter than the sepals, the whole flower being about 10 mm in diameter. There are 8-10 reddish stamens and three styles.[4][1][3][5]

The flowers have ten stamens although sometimes only the filaments remain

It flowers between April and July in Northern Europe.[1] The stems can remain alive and produce tillers which overwinter and flower the following year.[4] Seeds are tuberculate, dark reddish-brown, 1.3−1.7 mm in diameter.[1] The tubercles are conical, with an acute apex.[3]

Taxonomy[edit]

This species was first published by Alexandre Louis Simon Lejeune in 1825 as Alsine neglecta, which is therefore the basionym. It was then (the same year) moved to the genus Stellaria L. by Carl Ernst August Weihe and this name is accepted to this day.[6] Over the years many synonyms have been coined, such as Alsine decandra Schur (in 1866), Stellaria media var. decandra Fenzl (in 1842) and Stellaria decandra Schur ex Prodan (in 1953). A full list is given by the Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World.[7]

Numerous subspecies, varieties and forms have been named, but none is currently accepted[7] and it is not known to hybridise with any other species.[8]

Its chromosome number is 2n = 22.[5]

The scientific name Stellaria means "like a star" in reference to the flowers, and neglecta is in acknowledgement that it was long overlooked,[9] something that is still true to this day.[10]

Identification[edit]

Three species of chickweed have a single line of hairs down the stem. There are various features which can be used to separate them: Stellaria apetala usually has 1-3 stamens and no white petals; S. media has 3-8 stamens and white petals up to 3 mm long; whereas S. neglecta usually has 10 stamens and petals up to 4 mm. As the anthers often fall off, it is best to count the filaments.[5][11]

In the absence of flowers, the size of the plants (up to 10 cm; 25 cm; 100 cm) is a useful character, as are the leaves (up to 7 mm; 25 mm; 50 mm respectively), which also look rather different on the various species.[2]

A leaf of Stellaria apetala (left), S. media (middle) and S. neglecta (right). Not to scale.
A leaf of Stellaria apetala (left), S. media (middle) and S. neglecta (right). Not to scale.

Distribution and status[edit]

Greater chickweed is widely distributed throughout Europe and southern Asia as far east as Japan.[7][12] In Great Britain, it is most common in the south and west.[13] In North America, it was formerly rare, but it has spread rapidly in recent decades and is now considered a weed in a number of states, from Maryland to California.[3]

The international status of greater chickweed has not been evaluated,[14] but in Britain it is classified as "Least Concern" on the grounds that it is still widespread, albeit declining.[15][10] In France it is similarly not threatened except in the Alsace region, where it is considered to be vulnerable.[16]

Habitat and ecology[edit]

Greater chickweed grows in lightly shaded situations on slightly damp, base-rich and moderately fertile soils. Its Ellenberg values in Britain are L = 6, F = 7, R = 6, N = 7, and S = 0.[17] It is often found in old hedges and on the margins and paths of ancient deciduous woodland, where it is generally sparsely distributed and tends to occur in small patches.[18][19]

In terms of the British National Vegetation Classification it is recorded in MG1 false oatgrass swards on woodland edges, W6 crack willow woodland by rivers, in W10 oak woodland and W24 bramble scrub in hedges.[19] Because it is quite scarce and declining, and largely restricted to old hedges and woods, it is considered an axiophyte in some counties.[20][19]

It is a lowland plant, reaching its altitudinal limit of 345 m in Britain on Stapeley Hill in Shropshire.[21]

Presumably because it is such a little-known plant, there are no recorded instances of insect associations with this species in Britain.[22] There are also no known galls, rusts or smuts.[23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Clapham, Arthur Roy; Tutin, Thomas Gaskell; Warburg, E F (1962). Flora of the British Isles (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-26962-8.
  2. ^ a b Poland, John; Clement, Eric (2009). The Vegetative Key to the British Flora. Southampton: John Poland. ISBN 978-0-9560144-0-5.
  3. ^ a b c d Flora of North America: north of Mexico. Oxford University Press. p. 110.
  4. ^ a b Whitehead, F. H.; R. P. Sinha (October 1967). "Taxonomy and Taximetrics of Stellaria media (L.) Vill., S. neglecta Weihe and S. pallida (Dumort.) Pire". New Phytologist. 66 (4). Blackwell Publishing: 769–784. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1967.tb05444.x. JSTOR 2430464.
  5. ^ a b c Stace, C.A. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles. Suffolk. ISBN 978-1-5272-2630-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ Plants of the World Online. "Stellaria neglecta (Lej.) Weihe". Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Global Biodiversity Information Facility. "Stellaria neglecta (Lej.) Weihe". Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ^ Stace, C.A.; Preston, C.D.; Pearman, D.A. (2015). Hybrid Flora of the British Isles. Bristol: Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. ISBN 978-0-901158-48-2.
  9. ^ Stearn, William T. (1980). Botanical Latin: History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology and Vocabulary. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-5645-3.
  10. ^ a b Preston, C.D.; Pearman, D.A.; Dines, T.D. (2002). New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  11. ^ Rose, Francis (2006). The Wild Flower Key. London: Frederick Warne. ISBN 978-0-7232-5175-0.
  12. ^ "Stellaria neglecta Weihe". Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  13. ^ "Grid map of records on the Gateway for Stellaria neglecta (Greater Chickweed)". National Biodiversity Network. 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
  14. ^ European Nature Information System. "Stellaria neglecta Weihe". Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  15. ^ Cheffings, C.M.; Farrell, L. (2005). The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain. Peterborough: Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
  16. ^ Inventaire National du Patrimoine Naturel. "Stellaria neglecta Weihe, 1825". Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  17. ^ Hill, M.O.; Mountford, J.O.; Roy, D.B.; Bunce, R.G.H. (1999). Ellenberg's indicator values for British plants. ECOFACT Volume 2. Technical Annex (PDF). Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. ISBN 1870393481. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  18. ^ Crawley, M.J. (2005). The Flora of Berkshire. Harpenden: Brambleby Books. ISBN 0-9543347-4-4.
  19. ^ a b c Lockton, Alex; Whild, Sarah (2015). The Flora and Vegetation of Shropshire. Montford Bridge: Shropshire Botanical Society.
  20. ^ Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. "Kent". Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  21. ^ Plant Atlas 2020. "Greater Chickweed, Stellaria neglecta Weihe". Retrieved 13 April 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Biological Records Centre. "Insects and their food plants". Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  23. ^ Redfern, Margaret; Shirley, Peter (2002). "British Plant Galls". Field Studies. 10: 207–531.
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