LITTLE MOUSE-EAR

Cerastium semidecandrum

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]

month8apr month8april month8may

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8white
inner
inner8cream
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZbisexual

15th April 2011, Sandy Way, Shorwell, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
At up to 20cm high this is smaller than most other Mouse-ears except the up to 15cm Starwort Mouse-ear, the up to 15cm high Arctic Mouse-Ear and the up to 12cm high Dwarf Mouse-ear.

Alpine Mouse-ear grows to an equal height of up to 20cm.



15th April 2011, Sandy Way, Shorwell, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Unfortunately, not one of the flowers in this patch is open; they are all either hiding their petals or turning to fruit (as seen in those longer specimens which have curling-upwards longer white bits at the end of the flower).


15th April 2011, Sandy Way, Shorwell, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
One of the two delineating features are the abundant sticky glandular-tipped hairs and non-glandular hairs (Sticky Mouse-Ear has these too).


15th April 2011, Sandy Way, Shorwell, IOW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
Another delineating feature are the 5 narrowish petals which have only a slight nick in them at the end (although there are some other Mouse-ears with slightly deeper nicks in the petals).


Not to be semantically confused with : Mouse-Ear-Hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum), Mousetail (Myosurus minimus) nor with Mousetail Plant (Arisarum proboscideum) [plants with similar names from differing families]

Distinguishing Features : see captions and text.

Some similarities to : several other Mouse-ears

The Specific Epithet 'semidecandrum' probably refers to the 5 petals which have only a slight nick in their tips making it look only vaguely 10 petalled, unlike most other Mouse-ears which have a fairly deep nick in each of the 5 petals.

The bracts also have scarious tips (aka thin and dry) for over 1/3rd of their total length.

Alao, at 2/3rds the length of the sepals the petals are shorter than the sepals.

It likes to grow on sandy or limy soils in open, dry places, especially on sand dunes.

Photos of the actual flowers and petals are required, if anyone can oblige please.


  Cerastium semidecandrum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Caryophyllaceae  

Distribution
 family8Carnation & Campion (Pink) family8Caryophyllaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Cerastium
Cerastium
(Mouse-Ears)

LITTLE MOUSE-EAR

Cerastium semidecandrum

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]