About Stellaria corei Shinners
Stellaria corei Shinners is a species that is similar to and easily confused with Stellaria pubera. It is a spring-flowering perennial plant that grows from spreading rhizomes. Its upright, branched stems are square in shape, and measure 10–40 cm (3.9–15.7 in) in length. Leaves located near the base of the plant have petioles (leaf stems), while leaves near the stem tips are often subsessile, meaning they lack petioles. The leaves have smooth, untoothed margins, an overall elliptic shape, and broadly lanceolate to ovate tips; they measure 1–5 cm (0.39–1.97 in) long by 5–16 mm (0.20–0.63 in) wide, with cuneate (wedge-shaped) bases. Flowers develop in terminal cyme inflorescences that hold between 3 and 7 flowers each. The individual white flowers are 10–16 mm (0.39–0.63 in) in diameter, with five narrowly triangular sepals. When ripe, the fruits are straw-colored to pale brown capsules. Mature seeds are brown, and measure approximately 2 mm (0.079 in) in diameter. The diploid chromosome count for this species is 60. Stellaria corei grows naturally in rocky woods, bluffs, and open woods. It is native to Alabama, Connecticut, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and has been introduced to Idaho and New York.
