Stellaria longifolia (Regel) Muhl. ex Willd.

Species Nomenclature and Family

Stellaria longifolia is a species of flowering plant in the Caryophyllaceae family, commonly known as longleaf starwort.

Native Distribution

It is native to most of the northern half of the Northern Hemisphere, growing across northern Europe and North America.

Habitat

This plant grows in a wide variety of moist habitats, including meadows, marshes, and roadsides.

Growth Form

It is a rhizomatous perennial herb that forms clumps with sprawling, branching stems.

Stem Characteristics

The stems are mostly hairless, with only tiny rough hairs along the edges of the squarish stem.

Leaf Characteristics

Its linear to lance-shaped leaves grow up to 3.5 centimeters long, arranged in opposite pairs.

Inflorescence Structure

The inflorescence holds several flowers, each borne on a short pedicel.

Sepal Characteristics

Each flower has five pointed green sepals, each a few millimeters long.

Petal Characteristics

It also has five white petals; each petal is so deeply lobed that it appears to be two separate petals.