Product Code Database
Stellaria media, chickweed, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world, where it is a weed of waste ground, farmland and gardens. It is sometimes grown as a salad crop or for poultry consumption.
The flowers are small, less than 1 cm in diameter, with 5 white petals, 1–3 mm long, nestled inside the larger (3–5 mm long) sepals. These sepals have long, wavy ( villous) hairs on their outer (distal) sides and are oval in shape, and usually 5 in number. There are often only 3 stamens but sometimes more (up to 8) and 3 styles. Many publications state that chickweed sometimes has no petals at all, but this may be due to confusion with lesser chickweed, which used to be considered a subspecies but is now considered to be a species in its own right.Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. Webb's An Irish Flora. Cork University Press. (2025). 9780723251750, Frederick Warne. ISBN 9780723251750
The flowers quickly form capsules. Plants may have flowers and capsules at the same time.
Common chickweed can be differentiated from lesser chickweed by the presence of white petals on the former and from greater chickweed by 3–8 stamens present compared to 8–10 found in greater chickweed. Water chickweed has petals longer than the sepals.
The name Stellaria is derived from the word 'stella' meaning 'star', (1980). 9780715356456, David & Charles. ISBN 9780715356456 which is a reference to the shape of its flowers; media is Latin for 'between', 'intermediate', or 'mid-sized'.Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. (hardback), (paperback). pp 253, 361
It is sometimes called common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants called chickweed. Other common names include chickenwort, craches, maruns, and winterweed.
Stellaria media is common in lawns, meadows, waste places, and open areas.Hackney, P. (ed) 1992. Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland. Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast. (HB)Webb, D.A. Parnell, J. and Doogue, D. 1996. An Irish Flora. Dundalgan Press (W.Tempest) Ltd. Its Indicator value in Britain are L = 7, F = 5, R = 6, N = 7, and S = 0.
It is eaten by chickens, wild birds, and mountain sheep. (1985). 9780394504322, Knopf. ISBN 9780394504322
It is said to have medicinal properties and is used in folk medicine. It has been used as a remedy to treat itchy skin conditions and pulmonary diseases. 17th-century herbalist John Gerard recommended it as a remedy for mange. Modern prescribe it for iron-deficiency anemia (for its high iron content), as well as for , bronchitis, rheumatic pains, arthritis, and period pain. Not all of these uses are supported by scientific evidence. The plant was used by the Ainu people for treating bruises and aching bones. Stems were steeped in hot water before being applied externally to affected areas.Batchelor, J. and Miyabe, K. (n.d.). Ainu economic plants. 1st ed. 1893.
|
|
