Prickly Starwort

Scientific Name:

Stellaria pungens

Matted population of Prickly Starwort
Photo: A J Brown

Status:

Australian native.

Plant Description:

Prostrate to ascending perennial, mat-forming herb with tangled, angular stems which may be hairy or hairless. Leaves often recurved, narrow=lanceolate, 5-10 mm long and 2 mm wide at the base, with a sharply pointed apex.

Flowers are white, 5 deeply bifid petals, which are longer than the alternate arranged and green sepals. Fruit an ovoid capsule.

Habitat:

Widespread over a range of habitats, from riparian forest to sand dunes. Also found on the fringes of fresh-water lakes. Tolerant of both dry and waterlogged conditions.

Region	Salinity Class	Waterlogging Class
Central and Northern, Wimmera, Western, Gippsland	S0	W0, W1, W2, W3

Comments:

The Starworts include the introduced Chickweed (Stellaria media), a common weed of cultivated ground; not to be confused with Mouse-eared Chickweed (Cerastium glomeratum)

Plants of Prickly Starwort
Photo: A J Brown

Leaves and stems of Prickly Starwort
Photo: A J Brown

Flowers of Prickly Starwort
Photo: A J Brown

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