Stellaria

Taxobox
name = "Stellaria"

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image_width = 250px
image_caption = Greater stitchwort, "Stellaria holostea"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Caryophyllales
familia = Caryophyllaceae
genus = "Stellaria"
genus_authority = Seguier
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision =

"Stellaria" is a genus of about 90-120 species flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae, with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common names include stitchwort and chickweed.

Food Use

Chickweeds are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Angle Shades, Heart and Dart, Riband Wave, Setaceous Hebrew Character and the "Coleophora" case-bearers "C. coenosipennella" (feeds exclusively on "Stellaria spp"), "C. lineolea" (recorded on "S. graminea"), "C. lithargyrinella" (recorded on "S. holostea"), "C. solitariella" (feeds exclusively on "S. holostea") and "C. striatipennella".

Uses

Some species, including "Stellaria media", are used as leaf vegetables, often raw in salads.

Stellaria media is widespread in North America from the Brooks Range in Alaska to all points south within North America. There are several closely related plants referred to as chickweed, but which lack the culinary and medicinal properties of plants in the genus "Stellaria." Plants in the genus "Cerastium" are very similar in appearance to "Stellaria" and are in the same family (Carophyllaceae). "Stellaria media" can be easily distinguished from all other members of this family by examining the stems. "Stellaria" has fine hairs on only one side of the stem in a single band. Other members of the family "Carophyllaceae" which resemble "Stellaria" have hairs uniformly covering the entire stem.This is a favored food of finches and many other seed-eating birds.

elected species

References

Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West, Gregory L. Tilford, ISBN 0-87842-359-1