Stellaria

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iStellaria
Greater stitchwort, Stellaria holostea
Greater stitchwort, Stellaria holostea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Caryophyllaceae
Genus: Stellaria
Seguier

Stellaria is a genus of about 90-120 species flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common names include stitchwort and chickweed.

Selected species
  • Stellaria abortiva
  • Stellaria alaschanica
  • Stellaria alaskana
  • Stellaria alsine
  • Stellaria amblyosepala
  • Stellaria americana
  • Stellaria arenarioides
  • Stellaria arisanensis
  • Stellaria aquaticum - Water Chickweed
  • Stellaria axillaris
  • Stellaria bistyla
  • Stellaria borealis
  • Stellaria brachypetala
  • Stellaria bungeana
  • Stellaria calycantha
  • Stellaria cherleriae
  • Stellaria chinensis
  • Stellaria ciliatisepala
  • Stellaria congestiflora
  • Stellaria corei
  • Stellaria crassifolia
  • Stellaria crassipes
  • Stellaria crispa
  • Stellaria cuspidata
  • Stellaria decumbens
  • Stellaria delavayi
  • Stellaria depressa
  • Stellaria dianthifolia
  • Stellaria dichotoma
  • Stellaria dicranoides
  • Stellaria discolor
  • Stellaria ebracteata
  • Stellaria fennica
  • Stellaria filicaulis
  • Stellaria fontinalis
  • Stellaria graminea - Lesser Stitchwort
  • Stellaria gyangtseensis
  • Stellaria gyirongensis
  • Stellaria henryi
  • Stellaria holostea - Greater Stitchwort
  • Stellaria humifusa
  • Stellaria imbricata
  • Stellaria infracta
  • Stellaria irrigua
  • Stellaria lanata
  • Stellaria lanipes
  • Stellaria littoralis
  • Stellaria longifolia
  • Stellaria longipes
  • Stellaria mainlingensis
  • Stellaria martjanovii
  • Stellaria media - Common Chickweed
  • Stellaria monosperma
  • Stellaria neglecta - Greater Chickweed
  • Stellaria nemorum - Wood Stitchwort
  • Stellaria nepalensis
  • Stellaria nipponica
  • Stellaria nitens
  • Stellaria obtusa
  • Stellaria omeiensis
  • Stellaria ovatifolia
  • Stellaria oxycoccoides
  • Stellaria pallida - Lesser Chickweed
  • Stellaria palustris - Marsh Stitchwort
  • Stellaria parva
  • Stellaria parviumbellata
  • Stellaria patens
  • Stellaria petiolaris
  • Stellaria petraea
  • Stellaria pilosoides
  • Stellaria porsildii
  • Stellaria pubera - Star Chickweed
  • Stellaria pusilla
  • Stellaria radians
  • Stellaria reticulivena
  • Stellaria rotundifolia
  • Stellaria ruscifolia
  • Stellaria salicifolia
  • Stellaria soongorica
  • Stellaria souliei
  • Stellaria stenopetala
  • Stellaria strongylosepala
  • Stellaria subumbellata
  • Stellaria tibetica
  • Stellaria uda
  • Stellaria uliginosa - Bog Stitchwort
  • Stellaria umbellata
  • Stellaria vestita
  • Stellaria winkleri
  • Stellaria wushanensis
  • Stellaria yunnanensis
  • Stellaria zangnanensis

Chickweeds are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Angle Shades, Heart and Dart, Riband Wave, Setaceous Hebrew Character and the Coleophora case-bearers C. coenosipennella (feeds exclusively on Stellaria spp), C. lineolea (recorded on S. graminea), C. lithargyrinella (recorded on S. holostea), C. solitariella (feeds exclusively on S. holostea) and C. striatipennella.

[edit] Uses

Some species, including Stellaria media, are used as leaf vegetables, often raw in salads.

Lesser stitchwort, Stellaria graminea
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Lesser stitchwort, Stellaria graminea