Arctic mouse-ear chickweed facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arctic mouse-ear chickweed
Scientific classification
Genus:	Cerastium
Species:	arcticum

Cerastium arcticum, also known as the Arctic mouse-ear chickweed or just Arctic mouse-ear, is a small, white flowering plant. It grows in cold, northern parts of the world. This plant is a type of chickweed, known for its delicate flowers.

You can find Cerastium arcticum in many northern regions. These include parts of western and southern Greenland, Baffin Island in Canada, and Labrador. It also grows in Iceland, Scotland, Norway, and on the Svalbard islands.

What Does It Look Like?

This plant often grows in small groups or "tufts." Sometimes, it spreads out a bit more loosely. You will usually find it in damp places. It also likes to grow on open, gravelly ground.

Most of the plant is covered in tiny hairs. This makes it feel a bit fuzzy or "pubescent." These hairs can look quite stiff. The leaves of the Arctic mouse-ear are shaped like an oval, which is called elliptical.

The Flowers

The flowers of Cerastium arcticum are white. They are quite large for a small plant. When they are fully open, they look very beautiful. You will usually see them growing either alone or in pairs.

The white parts of the flower are called Petals. These petals have a deep notch, almost like a little split at the end. They are also much longer than the green parts underneath them, which are called sepals. Sepals protect the flower bud before it opens.

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  A close-up view of the Arctic mouse-ear flower.

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  The stem and leaves of the Arctic mouse-ear plant.

See also

In Spanish: Cerastium arcticum para niños