Stellaria CARYOPHYLLACEAE Sapvnaria 



3. Stellaria Linn. Chick weed MBUM (Fan Lii Shu) 

 Brg. herbs with flat lvs.: petals, when present, white and deeply 2-cleft; pod 

 short, opening by valves. About 75 species, abundant in temperate and cold climates; 

 16 in China. (The Latin term for "star", referring to the star-shaped fls.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Rhizomes without tubers: lvs. many. 



Stems and pedicels glabrous: lvs. lanceolate or oblong 1. S. alsine 



Stems and pedicels pubescent: lvs. ovate, often cordate at the base. 



Styles 3-4 ; petals shorter than the sepals 2. S. media 



Styles 5; petals longer than the sepals 3. S. aquatica 



aa. Rhizomes tuber-bearing: lvs. few, obovate, acute 4. S. rupestris 



1. Stellaria alsine Grimm (S. idiginosa Murr.) (G.M.623). Herb; fls. white, VI. 

 North temperate regions; locally in An., Ku. Roadside weed. 



2. Stellaria media (L.) Cyr. Common Chickweed HfH (Fan Lii; A-tangle-of -thread) 

 (G.M.622). Brg. herb, 15-30 cm.; fls. white, II— III. Eurasia; locally in An., 

 Che., Hon., Ku. Roadside weed. Fig. 95. 



3. Stellaria aquatica (L.) Scop. Water Chickweed ^HfU (Niu Fan Lii; Cow 

 Stellaria) (G.M.7th 383). Herb, 1-2 dm. high; fls. white, I-IX; fr. green. Eurasia; 

 locally in An., Ku. Moist ground. 



4. Stellaria rupestris (Turcz.) Hemsl. {Krascheinnikoivia rupestris Tmcz.) fpfflj f L (Ho 

 T'ien Ts'ao; Rice-field Herb) (Le.F.l:373). Herb; fls. white, IV. Northeastern 

 Asia; locally in An. Moist roadsides. 



4. Cerastium Linn. MousE-ear Chickweed itffeTtM (Chi Nu Hua Shu) 



Generally hairy herbs: fls. white, in terminal dichotomous cymes; petals, when 

 present, emarginate or bifid: capsule cylindric, opening by teeth at the top. About 

 50 species, abundant in temperate regions; 6 in China. (Greek: keras, a horn, refer- 

 ring to the shape of the pod.) 



1. Cerastium viscosum Linn. ^^-fi^H (P'o P'o Chih Chia Ts'ai; Grandmother's- 

 finger-nails Herb) (G.M.628). Brg. herb; fls. white, III-IV; glandular-hairy. In- 

 troduced from Europe; locally in An., Ki., Ku. Field weed. Fig. 96. 



5. Gypsophila Linn. ^^ttM (Hsiang Ts'ai Hua Shu; 

 Fragrant-plant Flower Genus) 



Diffusely brg. glaucous herbs with few lvs. and small numerous white or pink 

 fls. in panicles or axillary clusters: calyx 5-toothed, scarious between the 5 green 

 nerves; petals 5, with narrow claws; stamens 10; styles 2: capsule globose or ovoid, 

 many-seeded. 60 species, in Eurasia and North Africa; 5 or more in China. (Greek: 

 term for "gypsum-loving", referring to their preference for calcareous soils.) 



1. Gypsophila paniculata Linn. Baby's Breath W&MM (Hsien Hsing Ch'ii Mai; 

 Thread-like Dianthus superbus) (G.M.635). Erect diffuse herb, tolm.; fls. white 

 V; pedicels longer than the calyx. Eurasia; locally in Hon., Ku. Cultivated, 

 ornamental. 



6. Saponaria Linn. ZE/FUfrlf (Wang Pu Liu Hsing Shu) 

 Coarse herbs with large fls.: calyx 5-angled and 5-nerved; stamens 10; styles 2: 



110 



