Cerastium arvense subsp. arvense

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 5. Treatment on page 79. Mentioned on page 80, 91, 92.

Plants straggling and creeping, strongly rhizomatous, not forming clumps, without taproot. Stems: flowering-stems ascending, proximal 1/2 often purple-tinged, usually 25–30 cm, softly pubescent to subglabrous, glandular-hairs confined to inflorescences; nonflowering shoots well developed, producing obovate to oblanceolate, spatulate, overwintering leaves; small axillary tufts of leaves well developed, conspicuous. Leaves on flowering shoots often dimorphic; midstem leaves larger, blade lanceolate, 12–22 × 2.5–5 mm; proximal leaves oblong to linear, 5–15 × 0.5–2 mm. flowers: sepals 5–7 mm, with midrib, petals 10–12.5 mm, often turning brown when dried; anthers 1–1.1 mm. Capsules (8.5–) 9.8 (–11.5) × 3–4 mm, ca. 1.5 (–2) times as long as sepals. Seeds 0.7–1.2 mm. 2n = 72.


Phenology: Flowering spring.
Habitat: Lawns, cemeteries, roadsides, riverbanks, old pastures
Elevation: 0-1400 m

Distribution

V5 163-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), Ont., Que., Conn., Md., Mass., N.J., N.Y., w Europe

Discussion

Subspecies arvense is probably more widespread in North America than present information suggests, but identification of herbarium specimens can be difficult and uncertain. However, in the field the two subspecies are readily distinguishable because of the larger size of subsp. arvense and its strongly rhizomatous habit. Hybrids with C. tomentosum (which have been called C. ×maureri Schulze, an invalid name) are readily formed when the two taxa grow together (J. K. Morton 1973).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"(-2)timesaslongassepals" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."-6timesaslongassepals" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

perigynous +  and hypogynous +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.11 cm1.1 mm <br />0.0011 m <br />) +
subglabrous +  and softly pubescent +
2-fid;obtuse;acute +
John K. Morton +
Linnaeus +
elliptic to broadly ovate +  and linear +
1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br /> (2.2 cm22 mm <br />0.022 m <br />) +
lanceolate +
not succulent +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
often +  and herbaceous +
lanceolate +
reduced +
herbaceous +  and scarious +
0.98 cm9.8 mm <br />0.0098 m <br /> (1.15 cm11.5 mm <br />0.0115 m <br />) +
9.8 cm98 mm <br />0.098 m <br /> (?) +
8 +  and 6 +
cylindric +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +
1-20-flowered +
dish--shaped +
expanded +
Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, Ont. +, Que. +, Conn. +, Md. +, Mass. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +  and w Europe +
0-1400 m +
straight +  and curved +
central +  and peripheral +
pistillate +  and subsessile +
inconspicuous +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
stalked +  and simple +
Lawns, cemeteries, roadsides, riverbanks, old pastures +
disc--shaped +  and dish +
not marcescent +
overwintering +
connate +
spatulate +, obovate +  and oblanceolate +
translucent +  and purplish +
pubescent;glandular-pubescent +
swollen +
3 +  and 5 +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
reflexed;erect +
glandular-pubescent +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br />) +
perigynous +  and hypogynous +
fugacious +
2 times as long as sepals +
obovate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.25 cm12.5 mm <br />0.0125 m <br />) +
Flowering spring. +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
0.6mm;1.2mm +
tuberculate +
compressed +  and angular-obovate +
0.07 cm0.7 mm <br />7.0e-4 m <br /> (0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br />) +
persistent +
distinct +
narrowly lanceolate;lance-elliptic +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
20 cm200 mm <br />0.2 m <br /> (30 cm300 mm <br />0.3 m <br />) +
spreading +  and deflexed +
pilose-subglabrous +  and glandular-pubescent +
Weedy +  and Illustrated +
branched +  and simple +
ascending;erect or decumbent +
subterminal +
[30 +  and 5 +
roughened +  and papillate +
distinct +
clavate +  and filiform +
0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
rooting +  and rhizomatous +
Cerastium arvense subsp. arvense +
Cerastium arvense +
subspecies +
not inflated +
divided +
10 +  and 8 +
pubescence of simple hairs or stalked glands +  and glabrous +
19 +, 18 +, 17 +, 15] +, 13 +  and [9 +