Stellaria nitens

Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray

in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1: 185. 1838.

Common names: Shining starwort
Endemic
Synonyms: Stellaria praecox A. Nelson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 110. Mentioned on page 98.

Plants annual, from threadlike taproots. Stems erect, sparingly branched below inflorescence, 4-sided, 3–25 cm, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Leaves sessile, crowded at base, shiny; blade oblanceolate to obovate and spatulate (proximal) or linear-lanceolate (distal), 0.5–1.5 cm × 0.5–2 mm, base round, apex acuminate, glabrous, often ciliate on margins. Inflorescences terminal, 3–21-flowered (rarely more) cymes; bracts linear-lanceolate, 1–12 mm, scarious distally, herbaceous proximally, often ciliate on margins. Pedicels ascending to erect, ± straight in fruit, 2–25 mm, glabrous. Flowers 2–3 mm diam.; sepals 5, with 3 prominent, ridged veins, very narrowly lanceolate, to acicular, 2.8–4.2 mm, margins wide, scarious, apex acuminate, glabrous; petals 5 or absent, 1–3 mm, shorter than sepals, blade apex 2-lobed; stamens 3–5; styles 3, spreading, becoming curled, ca. 0.3 mm. Capsules green or straw colored, narrowly ovoid, 2–3 mm, shorter than sepals, apex obtuse, opening by 3 valves, splitting into 6; carpophore absent. Seeds brown, round, 0.5–0.7 mm diam., minutely tuberculate. 2n = 20, 40.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Dry, open habitats: sand dunes, stream banks, rocky outcrops, open woodlands, beneath boulders, disturbed areas
Elevation: 0-2000 m

Distribution

V5 229-distribution-map.gif

B.C., Ariz., Calif., Idaho, Mont., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash.

Discussion

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Stellaria nitens"
perigynous +  and hypogynous +
obtuse;acuminate;acuminate +
John K. Morton +
Nuttall in J. Torrey and A. Gray +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate +, spatulate +, oblanceolate +  and obovate +
not +  and succulent +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
linear-lanceolate +
reduced +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
straw colored;green +
ascending;recurved +
10 +, 8 +  and 4 +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Shining starwort +
3-21-flowered +
dish--shaped +
expanded +
B.C. +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, Nev. +, Oreg. +, Utah +  and Wash. +
0-2000 m +
straight +  and curved +
central +  and peripheral +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
inconspicuous +
stalked +  and simple +
Dry, open habitats: sand dunes, stream banks, rocky outcrops, open woodlands, beneath boulders, disturbed areas +
connate +
swollen +
3 +  and 5 +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
ascending;erect +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (2.5 cm25 mm <br />0.025 m <br />) +
perigynous +  and hypogynous +
fugacious +
not clawed +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
Flowering spring. +
in J. Torrey and A. Gray, Fl. N. Amer. +
0.5mm;0.7mm +
tuberculate +
red +, purple-tinged +  and green +
persistent +
distinct +
very narrowly lanceolate;acicular +
0.28 cm2.8 mm <br />0.0028 m <br /> (0.42 cm4.2 mm <br />0.0042 m <br />) +
3 +  and 5 +
hairy +  and glabrous +
4-angled;terete +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
subterminal +  and terminal +
[30 +  and 3 +
papillate +
distinct +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
Stellaria praecox +
rooting +  and rhizomatous +
thread-like +
Stellaria nitens +
Stellaria +
species +
divided +
10 +  and 8 +
rhizomatous +  and taprooted +
pubescence of simple hairs or stalked glands +  and glabrous +
15 +, 13 +, 12 +, 11 +  and 10 +