GREAT CHICKWEED 85 



insects visit the flowers the stigmatic lobes spread out and become 

 covered with pollen from the anthers. There are usually five styles, 

 sometimes three. The insects that visit it are Diptera (Syrphidae, 

 Muscidae), Coleoptera (Nitidulidse), Thysanoptera (Thrips], Hymen- 

 optera (Apidse). 



The plant is autochorous, dispersed by the plant's own agency. 



Photo. G B. Dixon 



GREAT CHICKWEED (Stellaria aquatica, Scop.) 



The capsule splits into unequal valves in several parts and causes the 

 dispersal of seeds around the parent plant. 



This species is a humus-loving- plant, and grows chiefly on humus 

 soil, or is a sand plant, requiring a sand soil. It is frequent on recent 

 alluvium. 



The micro-fungi, Peronospora arenaric?, Puccinia arenaria, Pink 

 Rust, grow on it. The moths, Cream-spot Tiger Chelonia (Arctia) 

 villica, Stout Dart (Agrotis ravida), feed upon it as a food plant. 



Stellaria, of Brunfels, is derived from the Latin stella, star, in 

 allusion to the star-like flower, and aquatica refers to its habitat. 



This plant is called Chickweed or Water Chickweed. The larger 

 flowers distinguish this from other chickweeds. The Common Chick- 

 weed (S. media) was employed in plaster used for broken bones and 



