Stellaria alsine Grimm

Stellaria species are annual or perennial herbs, usually caespitose. Stem erect, decumbent or ascending, simple or diffusely branched, slightly quadrangular or terete, glabrous or pubescent, not glandular, rooting at nodes, rootstock slender, long, stout and sometimes rhizomatous in perennials. Leaves simple, opposite, linear lanceolate to obovate-spathulate, margin entire, apex acute to obtuse, 1 veined, succulent or not, petiole short or usually sessile, stipules absent. Inflorescence usually dichasial cymes or rarely solitary, terminal or supra-axillary. Flowers bisexual, hypogynous or weaky perigynous, pedicel erect, glabrous or pubescent, sometimes reflexed in fruit, bracts paired rarely 1 or absent, foliaceous, margins scarious, sepals 4-5, lanceolate-ovate, herbaceous, green sometimes with purplish tinge, margins scarious, apex acute to obtuse, petals 4-5, oblanceolate to obovate, white, creamish, limb bi-fid from the base up to middle sometimes, margins entire, apex emarginated or entire, sometimes absent. Stamens 5-10 or less, inserted from carpophore, filaments distinct, staminodes absent, nectarines present at filament bases. Ovary superior, unilocular rarely trilocular, ovules many, style 3 rarely 2-5, glabrous, stigma 3 rarely 2-5, minutely papillae. Fruit capsule, obovoid-globose, dehiscing with 3-6 valves or splitting into 6-8 equal teeth, or opening by twice the number of styles present. Seeds 1 to many, reniform or globose, compressed laterally, tuberculate or smooth, yellowish brown to dark brown, marginal wings absent, embryo annular.

Stellaria species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: March-July/August-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals, anthropochory i.e., dispersal by humans.

Annual herbs, about 10-40 cm long, caespitose or tufted. Stem decumbent or ascending, diffusely branched from the base, densely or lax, glabrous, rooting at nodes, rootstock slender and long. Leaves simple, opposite, narrow lanceolate-ovate, linear lanceolate-elliptic, about 5-25 x 1-4 mm across, base cuneate, margin entire or ciliate near the base, sometimes undulate, slightly curved, apex deeply acute, 1 veined, midrib impressed above and slightly prominent beneath, petiole sessile, stipules absent. Inflorescence cymes of about 2-5 flowered or sometimes solitary, axillary or terminal. Flowers bisexual, hypogynous or weaky perigynous, pedicel erect, slender, sometimes reflexed, about 5-20 mm long, bracts paired, foliaceous, margins scarious, about 1 mm long, sepals 5, lanceolate, triveined, herbaceous, margins scarious, midrib prominent, apex acute, persistent, about 2-4 mm long, petals 5, white, slightly shorter than sepals, limb bi-fid from the base, margins entire, apex emarginated. Stamens 5-10, staminodes absent, nectarines present at filament bases. Ovary superior, unilocular rarely trilocular, ovules many, style 3, glabrous, stigma 3, minutely papillae. Fruit capsule, ovoid-globose, shorter than sepals, dehiscing with 6 valves or opening by twice the number of styles present. Seeds 5-10, reniform or globose, compressed laterally, smooth or mammillate, dark brown, marginal wings absent, embryo annular.

Stellaria species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus, and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

Alpine and temperate Himalayas, altitude about 1000-3000 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).