Stellaria graminea L.
stitchwort
Perennial. Stems weak, ascending, 4-angled, glabrous, 15-60-(100) cm long. Lvs green, sessile, connate in pairs, narrow-oblanceolate to narrow-lanceolate below, narrow-lanceolate or becoming linear-lanceolate above, tapering gradually to acute apex and sparsely ciliate or glabrous base, (10)-15-30-(50) × 3-5-(8) mm; margin flat; marginal vein obscure or 0. Infl. a terminal dichasium, lax, (10)-20-60-flowered. Bracts ovate-acuminate to subulate, keeled, 4-7 × 1-3 mm; margins scarious, ciliate. Pedicels slender, patent, glabrous, 10-30-(50) mm long. Sepals narrow-triangular, acute, 3-veined, 4-7 mm long; margins scarious, ciliate. Petals 4-9 mm long, c. = or slightly > sepals. Stamens 10 or fewer. Capsule narrow-ovoid, = or > calyx. Seeds dull brown, c. 1 mm long; papillae low, elongate.
N.: Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington; S.: Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Westland, Otago, Southland; Ch., C.
Europe, Caucasus 1878
Swamps, bogs, streamsides, wet grassland.
FL Nov-Apr FT (Nov)-Dec-Apr.
S. graminea is sometimes confused with S. alsine but differs as follows: lvs larger, with flat margins and marginal vein obscure or 0; infl. large, terminal; bracts and sepals ciliate; sepals > 4 mm long; petals > sepals; seeds dull brown, c. 1 mm long.
Some plants of S. graminea have been referred to in N.Z. as S. graminea f. latifolia.
