COMMON CHICKWEED

Stellaria media

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]

month8jan month8feb month8mar month8march month8apr month8april month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept month8oct month8nov month8dec

status
statusZnative
 
flower
flower8white
 
inner
inner8yellow
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ5
5 (10)
petals
petalsZcleft petalsZcut
 
stem
stem8round
 
sex
sexZbisexual

18th April 2019, in farmers field on way to Swetterton, Cheshire. Photo: © RWD
It is often found on cultivated land and in other places with rich soils, such as fields normally occupied by cows or other animals. Here it is the large paler-green patches. But just occasionally in the upper reaches of saltmarshes near the sea.


7th April 2010, roadside tree, by golfcourse, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
It can grow all year round, but as these photos show, it seems to favour 3 weeks either side of the middle of April.


18th April 2019, in farmers field on way to Swetterton, Cheshire. Photo: © RWD
A few flowers at the top of each stalk.


20th April 2019, 4th enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
A sprawling and highly branched annual which can often over-winter.


20th April 2019, 4th enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
The spent flowers which are turning to fruit hang downwards on Common Chickweed.


20th July 2007, Cartmel, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD


20th July 2007, Cartmel, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD


13th Sept 2018, Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The stems grow up to 50cm and are much branched; the bottom part is missing from this specimen - these were sprawling and your Author had to feel his way down one stem but he never got to the bottom of it :-)

The leaves have stalks (sometimes short). Leaves vary from ovate to elliptical; some are even approximately cordate (Ace of Spades shaped) at their base.



13th Sept 2018, Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The same specimen as above but dangled downwards from above. The stems are round with a single line of hairs down one side, until a branch, when the single line usually swaps sides.


7th April 2010, roadside tree, by golfcourse, Greater Manchester. Photo: © RWD
Has a few flowers at the top, some yet to open; others turned downwards as they go to seed.


13th Sept 2018, Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Has only 5 petals, but as with several other different Stellaria, the petals are deeply cleft almost to their bases. Only rarely do they have tiny petals or zero petals.


13th Sept 2018, Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The flowers have but 3 styles (as do several other Stellaria) (only Wood Stitchwport has 5 styles) sand between 3 to 5 (up to a maximum of 8) stamens (Lesser Stitchwort has only 1 to 2 stamens (up to 3 occasionally).


20th April 2019, 4th enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
The best characteristics to differentiate between Common Chickweed, Lesser Chickweed and Greater Chickweed are the number of stamens [3-5(8) for Common; 1-2(3) for Lesser; 10 for Greater] and the size of the seeds (not the seed pods!) [0.8 - 1.4mm for Common; 0.6 - 0.9mm for Lesser; 1.1 - 1.7mm for Greater]


3rd May 2017, 4th enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
Drooping downwards on the leftt is the seed pod. Directed upwards on the right is an opened seed pod, the pod having split open in 5 places.


3rd May 2017, 4th enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
An opened seed pod.


31st March 2008, verge, Sandown, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone


3rd May 2017, 3rd enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
The 5 petals are cleft almost down to their bases where the two halves join. 3 styles on the developing ovary surrounded by 3 anthers, two spent. The 5 sepals below the flower are pale-edged and pointed or bluntish at the ends.


18th April 2019, in farmers field on way to Swetterton, Cheshire. Photo: © RWD
This specimen has 4 anthers .


31st March 2008, verge, Sandown, IoW. Photo: (CC by 2.0) Geoff Toone
3 fuzzy styles in centre and 3 filaments which have shed their anthers.


3rd May 2017, 3rd enclosed park, Waterloo, Sefton Coast. Photo: © RWD
A pink anther at the top.


13th Sept 2018, Carr Mill Dam, St Helens, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The hairs, only on one side of any stem.


Not to be semantically confused with : Chick Pea (icer arietinum), Chickweed Willowherb (Epilobium alsinifolium), Upright Chickweed (Moenchia erecta), Water Chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum) or with Chickweed Wintergreen (Trientalis europaea) [plants with similar names belonging to differing families]

Easily mistaken for : Greater Chickweed (Stellaria neglecta) and Lesser Chickweed (Stellaria pallida), see captions for differences.


  Stellaria media  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Caryophyllaceae  

Distribution
 family8Carnation & Campion (Pink) family8Caryophyllaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Stellaria
Stellaria
(Stitchworts)

COMMON CHICKWEED

Stellaria media

Carnation & Campion (Pink) Family [Caryophyllaceae]