Stellaria neglecta Weihe

Formerly, Stellaria neglecta was rare in North America, but during the last ten to 15 years it has spread rapidly and become weedy. It is very like larger forms of S. media (see note under that species), but usually differs in having larger flowers, sepals, and seeds; having a larger number of stamens; and having seeds with acute conic tubercles. Flowers are self-compatible but usually are pollinated by flies.

Plants annual or winter annual, from slender taproot. Stems decumbent proximally, ascending distally, diffusely branched, 4-angled, to 80 cm, with single line of hairs along each internode. Leaves petiolate (proximal and those on sterile shoots) or sessile (distal and mid stem); blade ovate to broadly elliptic, 0.5-4 cm × 2-18 mm, base round to cuneate, margins entire with few cilia at base, thin, apex acute to short-acuminate, ± glabrous. Inflorescences terminal, 9-many-flowered cymes; bracts ovate to lanceolate, 3-25 mm, reduced distally, herbaceous, sparsely ciliate on margins and underside. Pedicels erect, often becoming deflexed, 5-40 mm, pubescence a single line of hairs. Flowers 5-7 mm diam.; sepals 5, veins obscure, lanceolate, 5-6.5 mm, margins narrow, membranous, apex acute, pubescent; petals 5 (rarely absent), 2-5 mm, shorter than or equaling sepals; stamens 8-10; styles 3, ascending, outwardly curved, 0.5-1 mm. Capsules green to straw colored, ovoid-oblong, 5-7 mm, ca. equaling sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 6 slightly recurved valves; caropohore absent. Seeds very dark brown when mature, round, 1.1-1.7 mm diam., tuberculate; tubercles conic, taller than broad, apex acute. 2n = 22.

Herbs annual or biennial, pale green. Stems tufted, 30--80 cm tall, with 1 line of hairs. Leaves shortly petiolate or sessile, ovate or narrowly ovate, (1.5--)2--3 × 0.5--1.3 cm, base cuneate, somewhat clasping, apex acute, basal leaf margin and stems between 2 basal leaves long hairy. Flowers terminal in dichotomous cymes; bracts lanceolate, herbaceous, glandular pubescent. Pedicel 1--1.5 cm, slender, with a line of dense soft hairs, nodding after anthesis. Sepals 5, ovate-elliptic to lanceolate, 3--4(--5) mm, outside densely pubescent with multicellular glandular hairs, margin membranous, apex acute, inflexed. Petals 5, nearly as long as or slightly longer than sepals, 2-cleft nearly to base. Stamens (6--)8--10, slightly longer than petals. Styles 3. Capsule ovoid, longer than persistent sepals, 6-valved; valves revolute. Seeds numerous, brown, nearly compressed orbicular, ca. 1.5 mm in diam., with sparse conical papillae. Fl. Apr--Jun, fr. Jun--Aug. 2n = 22.

introduced; Ark., Calif., Ky., La., Md., N.C., Okla., Tenn.; Europe.

Guizhou, Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Afghanistan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Russia; N Africa, SW Asia, S Europe].

Flowering spring.

Hedge banks, open woodlands, along streams, semishaded grassy places; 100-200m.

Mixed forests; 900--1200 m.

Alsine neglecta (Weihe) Á. Löve & D. Löve; Stellaria media (Linnaeus) Villars subsp. neglecta (Weihe) Gremli

?Stellaria diversiflora Maximowicz var. gymnandra Franchet; S. media (Linnaeus) Villars var. decandra Fenzl; S. media Villars var. procera Klatt & Richter; S. octandra Pobedimova.