Cerastium fontanum
Enum. Stirp. Transsilv. 1: 425. 1816.
Plants perennial (rarely annual), tufted to mat-forming, often rhizomatous. Stems: flowering stems erect from decumbent base, branched proximally, 10–45 cm, softly pubescent, eglandular with straight hairs; nonflowering shoots, when present, produced proximally, decumbent, rooting at nodes, branched, 5–20 cm, often subglabrous with alternating lines of eglandular hairs; small axillary tufts of leaves usually absent. Leaves not marcescent; blade 10–25(–40) × 3–8(–12) mm, densely covered with patent to ascending, colorless, long, eglandular hairs; leaves of flowering shoots in distant pairs, sessile, blade elliptic to ovate-oblong, apex subacute; leaves of sterile shoots pseudopetiolate, often spatulate, blade oblanceolate, apex obtuse. Inflorescences lax, 3–50-flowered cymes; bracts lanceolate, reduced, herbaceous, eglandular-pubescent, distal often with narrow, scarious margins. Pedicels somewhat curved distally, 2–10(–20) mm, longer than sepals, densely pubescent with patent, eglandular, rarely glandular hairs. Flowers: sepals ovate-lanceolate, 5–7 mm, margins narrow, apex acute, scarious, pubescent with eglandular, rarely glandular, hairs; petals oblanceolate, 1–1.5 times as long as sepals, apex deeply 2-fid; stamens 10, occasionally 5; styles 5. Capsules narrowly cylindric, curved, 9–17 mm, ca. 2 times sepals; teeth 10, erect, margins convolute. Seeds reddish brown, 0.4–1.2 mm, bluntly tuberculate; testa not inflated, tightly enclosing seed. 2n = 122–152, usually 144.
Distribution
Europe, introduced elsewhere.
Discussion
Subspecies 4 (2 in the flora).
Cerastium fontanum is a highly variable and complex species. It often has been reported as C. vulgatum Linnaeus, an ambiguous name; see discussion under the genus.
Selected References
None.
Key
| 1 | Inflorescences never glandular; petals 1.3-1.5 times as long as sepals; capsules 11-17 mm; seeds 0.9-1.2 mm | Cerastium fontanum subsp. fontanum |
| 1 | Inflorescences occasionally viscid-glandular; petals equaling sepals; capsules 9-13 mm; seeds 0.4-0.9 mm | Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare |