Shiny chickweed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shiny chickweed |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Stellaria
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| Species: |
nitens
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| Synonyms | |
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Stellaria praecox |
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Stellaria nitens is a tiny flowering plant. It is often called shiny chickweed or shining starwort. This plant belongs to the Caryophyllaceae family. That family includes many kinds of "pinks" and "carnations."
About Shiny Chickweed
Shiny chickweed is a type of annual herb. This means it grows from a seed, flowers, produces new seeds, and then dies all within one year. It has a slender, upright stem. The stem usually has four distinct angles. It grows from a thin root called a taproot. The plant can reach up to about 25 centimeters tall. That's about the length of a standard ruler.
What It Looks Like
Most of the leaves on the shiny chickweed grow low on its stem. Each of these leaves can be up to 1.5 centimeters long. Higher up on the stem, the leaves are smaller and narrower. The leaves are mostly smooth. They might have some rough hairs along their edges. A cool thing about this plant is that its leaves have shiny surfaces. This is how it gets its common name, "shiny chickweed."
Its Flowers
The plant produces a few small flowers. These flowers grow on short stems called pedicels. Each flower has five pointed parts called sepals. These sepals are only a few millimeters long. Sometimes, the flowers also have five tiny white petals. However, these petals are often missing.
Where It Grows
Shiny chickweed is native to western North America. You can find it in places like British Columbia and Alberta in Canada. It also grows across the western United States. Its range extends south into Mexico, at least as far as Baja California. This plant is quite adaptable. It can grow in many different types of places. You might find it in both dry and moist areas. It can even grow in places where the ground has been disturbed.
