Stellaria alsine
Description
Perennial herb, up to 40 cm, with thin rhizome.
Leaves elliptic to obovate, acute, 10-20 by 4-6 mm, glabrous, ciliate along margin at the base, glaucous, 1-nerved, sessile or subsessile.
Inflorescence lax, few-flowered;
Sepals narrowly elliptic, acute, 3-nerved, c. 3 mm long, glabrous.
Petals slightly shorter than sepals, rarely absent, divided almost to the base, with divergent lobes.
Stamens 10.
Ovary ovoid;
Capsule ovoid, as long as or slightly longer than calyx.
Seeds reddish brown, finely tuberculate, c. 0.3 mm.
Distribution
Aceh Laut present, Asia-Temperate: Korea present; Taiwan (Taiwan present), Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Himalayan region present, Japan present, North America present, northern Vietnam present, southern China present, temperate zone of Europe and Asia present
Widely distributed in the temperate zone of Europe and Asia, in the Himalayan region,southern China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and northern Vietnam; also frequent in North America. In Malesia most probably introduced and only recorded from a few localities in Java and one locality in Sumatra (Aceh Laut).
Morphology
It is a polymorphous species, highly variable due to environmental conditions. Van Steenis (1934) suggested that the species may be indigenous in Java but most probably they are introduced. It is the only known occurrence on the southern hemisphere.
Citation
N.C. Majumdar 1993 – In: Fl. India: 589
K. Larsen 1989: Fl. Camb., Laos & Vietnam: 78: f. 10: 8-13
Backer & Bakh. f. 1963 – In: Fl. Java: 207
Chen Shilong & R.K. Rabeler 2001 – In: Fl. China: 21
Pham-hoàng Hô 1991: p. 935. – In: Ill. Fl. Vietnam: f. 2628
Gagnepain 1909: p. 265. – In: Fl. Gén. Indo-Chine: f. 26
Hara 1979 – In: Enum. Flow. Pl. Nepal: 58
Miq. 1855 – In: Fl. Ned. Ind.: 1054
Wight & Arn. 1835: Prodr.: 42
Edgew. & Hook. f. 1874 – In: Fl. Brit. India: 233
Hand.-Mazz. 1929 – In: Symb. Sin.: 191
Ohba 1975: Third Report: 33
Murray 1943: Fl. Gén. Indo-Chine: 241
Chater & Heywood 1964 – In: Fl. Eur., ed. 1: 135
Mizush. 1966: Fl. E. Himal.: 82
Grierson 1987 – In: Fl. Bhutan: 208
Wu Zhengyi & Ke Ping 1996: p. 128. – In: Fl. Reip. Pop. Sin.: f. 30: 1-5
Chater & Heywood 1993 – In: Fl. Eur., ed. 1: 163
Steenis 1934 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg: 181
Backer 1911: Schoolfl. Java: 82