STELLARIA 
57 
I. STELLARIA AQUATICA. Water Chickweed. Plate 53 
Alsine major glabra Johnson Kent 3 (1629); Al. major repens perennis Ray Syn. ed. 3, 347 (1724). 
Stellaria aquatica Scopoli FI. Cam. ed. 2, i, 319 (1772); Syme Eng. Bot. ii, 91 (1864); Cerastium 
aquaticum L. Sp. PI. 439 (1753)!; Smith Eng. Bot. no. 538 (1799)!; FI. Brit. 501 (1800); Myosoton aquaticum 
Moench Meth. PI. 225 (1794); Malachium aquaticum Fries FI. Halland. 77 (1818) descr. gen. nulla; FI. Suec. 
ed. 2, 122 (1828); Rouy et Foucaud FI. France iii, 199 (1896). 
leones; — Smith Eng. Bot. t. 538, as Cerastium aquaticum ; Curtis FI. Lond. i, 96, as Cerastium aquaticum ; 
FI. Dan. t. 1337, as C. aquaticum ; Reichenbach Icon. t. 237, fig. 4967, as Malachium aquaticum. 
Camb. Brit. FI. iii. Plate 53. {a) Flowering shoot, {b) Petals. ( c ) Ovary, (d) Ripe capsule. Huntingdon- 
shire (E. W. H.). 
Exsiccata : — Billot, 1443, as Malachium aquaticum ; Don, 21 1, as Cerastium aquaticum ; Fries, vi, 27, as 
Malachium aquaticum ; Herb. FI. Ingric. ix, 106, as Malachium aquaticum. 
Perennial ; resembling S. nemorum in habit. Shoot glandular-pubescent, rarely glabrescent. 
Branches terete, numerous, weak, fragile, straggling, often about 6 dm. long (rarely up to 2 — 4 times 
this length). Petioles of the lower leaves shorter than the laminae ; upper leaves sessile. Laminae 
elliptical-ovate, subcordate or broad at the base, margin wavy, acute, often about 3 — 4 cm. long and 
i*5 — 17 broad. Pedicels spreading in fruit and curved near the end, at maturity several times as 
long as the calyx. Bracts leaf-like. Flowers pentamerous, isocarpic, about 17 cm. in diameter; July 
to September. Sepals ovate, rather acute, glandular-hairy, margins scarious. Petals \’2 — 17 times 
as long as the calyx, divided nearly to the base, lobes spreading at maturity. Stamens 5 + 5, outer 
ones antipetalous. Ovary subglobose. Stigmas 5, antipetalous, shorter than the ovary. Capsule a 
little longer than the calyx, dehiscing by 5 valves, each valve bidentate. Seeds papillate. 
In damp places, chiefly on the banks of ditches and rivers, and in damp waste places in fenny 
districts; from Cornwall and Kent northwards to Stirlingshire and Forfarshire; rare in Wales, 
Scotland, and hilly districts generally ; not known in Ireland. 
Scandinavia, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, central Europe (ascending to 
1500m. in the Tyrol), Russia, southern Europe; Asia; North America (not indigenous). 
Section II. EU-S TELL A RIA 
Eu-Stellaria Fenzl in Endlicher Gen. PI. 969 (1840) incl. Larbreae. 
For characters, see page 56. 
Series of Eu-Stellaria 
Series i. Mediae (see below). Stem somewhat hairy. Lower leaves petiolate. Stem subterete. 
Sepals free. 
Series ii. Holosteae (p. 60). Stem glabrous. Leaves sessile. Stem 4-angled. Sepals free 
or united at the base. 
Series i. Mediae 
Mediae nobis; Petiolares Fenzl in Endlicher Gen. PI. 969 (1840). 
For characters, see above. 
British species of Mediae 
2. S. nemorum (p. 58). Perennial. Stem hairy all round, or glabrescent. Lower leaves 
subcordate or markedly truncate at the base. Flowers open. Petals about twice as long as the 
sepals. Stamens 10. 
3. S. neglecta (p. 58). Ephemeral. Stem with a vertical line of hairs, alternating in each 
node. Lower leaves somewhat truncate at the base. Pedicels several times as long as the calyx. 
Flowers open. Petals about as long as or a little shorter than the sepals. Stamens 10. Anthers 
red. Styles a little longer than the ovary. 
4. S. media (p. 59). Like 5 . neglecta , but appearing all the year round, lower leaves 
scarcely truncate, pedicels shorter, flowers usually open, stamens 5 — 3, and styles about as long as 
the ovary. 
5. S. apetala (p. 60). Ephemeral. Like 5 . media , but lower leaves rather attenuate at the 
base, pedicels very short, flowers cleistogamous, petals absent, stamens 2 — 3, anthers violet, and 
styles very short. 
M. III. 
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