STELLARIA L. - CHICKWEED
Scientific Description:
Annual or perennial herbs. Stipules absent. Inflorescence ± dichasial. Sepals 5, free. Petals (0−)5, usually bifid almost to base, white. Stamens (3−)5−10, occasionally absent. Styles 2−3. Capsules opening by twice as many valves as styles.
Reference:
Coode MJE (1967). Stellaria L., In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2: 69.
Public Description:
Stellaria is a genus of annual or perennial herbs, commonly known as “starwort”, “stitchwort” or “chickweed”, which has a cosmopolitan distribution. There are approximately 121 species in the world and 11 species (12 taxa) in Türkiye. Chickweeds are medicinal and edible plants. They contain vitamins and minerals at high levels. According to the some investigations, they have antihistaminic effects (antihistamines are drugs that treat allergic rhinitis and other allergies). Butterflies are often consumed as food by butterfly larvae. Chickweeds are also used as food plants by some butterfly species.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellaria/, Accessed date: 04.01.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Caryophyllaceae/Stellaria/, Accessed date: 04.01.2016.
Anonymous 3 (2016). https://altnature.com/gallery/chickweed.htm / Accessed date: 04.01.2016.
Keskin M (2012). Stellaria L., In: Güner, A., Aslan, S., Ekim, T., Vural, M. & Babaç, M.T. (eds.), Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi (Damarlı Bitkiler). Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi ve Flora Araştırmaları Derneği Yayını. İstanbul, pp. 365–366.
.JPG)