Field Chickweed (Dvarčionių pievos flora)

Field Chickweed

Cerastium arvense

Summary ⁷

Cerastium arvense is a species of flowering plant in the pink family known by the common name field chickweed. It is a widespread species, occurring throughout Europe and North America, as well as parts of South America. It is a variable species. There are several subspecies, but the number and defining characteristics are disputed.

Description ⁸

Plants perennial, clumped and taprooted, or mat-forming and long-creeping rhizomatous. Stems: flowering shoots often decumbent proximally, 5-20(-30) cm, glandular-pubescent distally, pilose-subglabrous, deflexed or spreading proximally; non-flowering shoots present; small tufts of leaves present in axils of proximal leaves. Leaves not marcescent, sessile, ± spatulate proximally; blade linear-lanceolate to lanceolate or narrowly oblong, 4-30 × 0.5-6 mm, apex acute, rarely obtuse, subglabrous to softly pubescent, sometimes glandular. Inflorescences lax, 1-20-flowered cymes, pubescence short, glandular; bracts lanceolate, margins narrow, scarious, glandular-pubescent. Pedicels curved just below calyx, 5-30 mm, 1-6 times as long as sepals, glandular-pubescent. Flowers: sepals narrowly lanceolate to lance-elliptic, 3.5-7 mm, margins narrow, softly pubescent; petals obovate, 7.5-12.5 mm, ca. 2 times as long as sepals, apex 2-fid; stamens 10; anthers 0.8-1.1 mm; styles 5. Capsules cylindric, curved, 7.5-11.5 × 2.5-4 mm, (1-)1.5-2 times as long as sepals; teeth 10, erect, margins convolute. Seeds brown, 0.6-1.2 mm diam., tuberculate; testa not inflated. 2n = 36, 72, (108, Europe).