Description: This native perennial wildflower is about 6-12" tall and unbranched, or sparingly so. Both fertile and infertile shoots are produced; the latter develop later in the year and don't produce flowers. The central stem is light green to pale purplish green and slightly to moderately pubescent. The opposite leaves are up to 3" long and 1¼" across; they are ovate, lanceolate, or broadly oblong. The upper surface of these leaves is medium to dark green and finely pubescent (sometimes sparsely); their margins are ciliate. Each leaf tapers gradually to a sessile or nearly sessile base, while its tip may be acute or blunt; lower leaves are more likely to have short petioles and blunt tips than upper leaves.
The central stem of each fertile shoot
produces a terminal cyme of flowers; occasional individual flowers may develop
from the axils of the upper leaves. Each flower is about ½" across,
consisting of 5 green sepals, 5 white petals (looking like 10 petals, because
each petal is deeply bifurcated), a white ovary with 3 styles at its apex, and
10 stamens with reddish brown anthers. The petals are about the same length or
a little longer than the sepals. Each sepal is lanceolate to ovate and
pubescent. The pedicel of each flower is up to 1" long and pubescent. The
blooming period occurs from mid- to late spring and lasts about a month. Each
flower is replaced by an ovoid capsule that splits open at its apex, forming 6
recurved teeth. Each capsule contains many small seeds that are globoid,
somewhat flattened, and minutely warty. Each seed is often slightly notched on
one side. The root system consists of a taproot with slender fibrous roots.
Small colonies of plants are occasionally formed.
Cultivation: The preference is dappled sunlight to
light shade during the spring, followed by light to medium shade. The soil
should be well-drained but consistently moist, with an abundance of organic
matter and a layer of decaying leaves. It should also be somewhat acidic.
Shallow rocky ground and slopes help to reduce competition from taller
plants.
Range &
Habitat: Star Chickweed is a rare plant in Illinois; it is
state-listed as 'endangered.' It has been found in Pope County of southern
Illinois, and a few counties in NE Illinois (see
Distribution
Map). Illinois lies at the NW corner of the range for this species. It is
more common in the southern half of Indiana and other states. Habitats include
rocky wooded slopes, wooded bluffs, and the upper slopes of sandstone ravines.
Outside of Illinois, another typical habitat is rich mesic woodlands. This
conservative species is found in high quality woodlands, especially where
sandstone is close to the ground surface.
Faunal Associations: While some floral-faunal
relationships for chickweeds in meadow-like settings are known, very little of
this information can be safely generalized to this woodland chickweed. The
primary pollinators of the flowers are probably bees (Andrenid bees, Mason
bees, & Halictid bees). These insects suck floral nectar and collect
pollen.
Photographic Location: The
wooded upper slope of a sandstone ravine at Shades State Park in west-central
Indiana.
Comments: Of all the
chickweeds (whether native or introduced), this one is arguably the most
attractive. It's a pity that this species isn't more common in Illinois. The
only other chickweed in Illinois that resembles it is Myosoton aquaticum
(Water Chickweed), which is native to Eurasia. This latter species is a bit
larger in size than Star Chickweed, and its leaves are usually more broad
toward their bases. Even more importantly, the flowers of Water Chickweed have
5 styles and its seed capsules have 5 teeth. In contrast, Star Chickweed has
flowers with 3 styles and seed capsules with 6 teeth. Water Chickweed, as its
common name suggests, also prefers damp waterlogged habitats, such as roadside
ditches and low areas along rivers. Other common names of Stellaria
pubera are Giant Chickweed and Great Chickweed; these names sometimes refer
to Myosoton aquaticum as well.