Cerastium arvense L.

  • Authority

    Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

  • Family

    Caryophyllaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Cerastium arvense L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Glabrous to densely villous and often glandular perennial, ascending or erect, 1.5–4(–6) dm, branched and often matted at the base; lvs linear to narrowly ovate, 2–7 cm 1–15 mm, usually subtending conspicuous axillary fascicles or short shoots; sep lanceolate, acute, 5–8 mm; pet conspicuous, white, bilobed, 2–3 times as long as the sep; polyploid series based on x=18 (or 9?). Rocky, gravelly, or sandy places, especially in calcareous or magnesian soils, often a weed in abandoned fields and meadows; throughout most of the north-temperate and boreal regions. Apr.–Aug. Highly variable, and often segregated into numerous confluent spp. or vars. (C. campestre; C. oreophilum; C. strictum; C. velutinum) An extremely villous phase on serpentine in se. Pa. and ne. Md. is var. villosissimum Pennell.

  • Common Names

    field chickweed, starry grasswort