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Star Chickweed, Stellaria pubera |
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Low, mounding plant with conspicuous bright white flowers, about a half inch wide. The flowers have 5 white petals, but each petal is so deeply divided into two, that there often appear to be 10 petals. The leaves are long oval, opposite each other and nearly stalkless. Blooms in early to mid-spring. Native woodland plant, very common along the trails on the western slope of the Park, occasional elswhere. The alien weed, common chickweed (Stellaria media), has much smaller, inconspicuous flowers, and leaves that are more egg-shaped and long-stalked. It is unfortunately common on the western slope and also along trails and roads in the Park, and in yards and gardens outside the Park. Rue anemone, which blooms at the same time, could be confused with star chickweed at first glance, but it has smaller, 3-lobed leaves and 5 to 10 petal-like sepals, the number varying from flower to flower. |
