{{Short description|Species of flowering plant (chickweed)}} {{About|the plant most often called chickweed||List of plants named chickweed}} {{Speciesbox | name = Common chickweed | image = Kaldari_Stellaria_media_01.jpg | genus = Stellaria | species = media | authority = (L.) Vill. | synonyms = * ''Alsine media'' <small>L.</small> * ''Stellaria media'' subsp. ''typica'' <small>Bég.</small> * ''Stellularia media'' <small>(L.) Kuntze</small> }}
'''''Stellaria media''''', '''chickweed''', is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world, where it is a weed of waste ground, farmland and gardens. It is sometimes grown as a salad crop or for poultry consumption.
==Description== Chickweed is a hardy annual which flowers throughout the year in northern Europe, in mild weather.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/119111/Stellaria-media/Details | title = ''Stellaria media'' | publisher = RHS | access-date = 25 October 2020}}</ref> The stems are terete and glabrous with a lax and sprawling growth habit, up to {{Convert|40|cm|in|abbr=in}} long and {{Convert|1|mm|in|abbr=|frac=16}} in diameter, with a line (very occasionally 2 lines) of hairs running straight down its length, alternating sides at the nodes. The petioles are 5 to 8 mm long with hairy margins. The leaves are green, hairless, oval and opposite, {{Convert|6 to 25|mm|abbr=on|frac=8}} long by {{Convert|3 to 10|mm|abbr=on|frac=8}} wide with a hydathode at the tip.<ref name="Stace">{{cite book |last1=Stace |first1=C.A. |title=New Flora of the British Isles |date=2019 |isbn=978-1-5272-2630-2 |location=Suffolk}}</ref><ref name=Poland>{{cite book |last1=Poland |first1=John |last2=Clement |first2=Eric |title=The Vegetative Key to the British Flora |date=2009 |publisher=John Poland |location=Southampton |isbn=978-0-9560144-0-5}}</ref>
The flowers are small, less than 1 cm in diameter, with 5 {{plantgloss|bifid}} white petals, 1–3 mm long, nestled inside the larger (3–5 mm long) sepals. These sepals have long, wavy ([https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/villous villous]) hairs on their outer (distal) sides and are oval in shape, and usually 5 in number. There are often only 3 stamens but sometimes more (up to 8) and 3 styles. Many publications state that chickweed sometimes has no petals at all, but this may be due to confusion with lesser chickweed, which used to be considered a subspecies but is now considered to be a species in its own right.<ref name="Parnell">Parnell, J. and Curtis, T. 2012. ''Webb's An Irish Flora''. Cork University Press. {{ISBN|978-185918-4783}}</ref><ref name="Poland" /><ref name=Rose>{{cite book |last1=Rose |first1=Francis |title=The Wild Flower Key |date=2006 |publisher=Frederick Warne |location=London|isbn=978-0-7232-5175-0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Stellaria media var. apetala (Ucria ex Roem.) Gaudin |title=Global Biodiversity Information Forum |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/8067252 |access-date=3 March 2023}}</ref>
The flowers quickly form capsules. Plants may have flowers and capsules at the same time.
=== Chemistry === The anthraquinones emodin, parietin (physcion) and questin, the flavonoid kaempferol-3,7-O-α-L-dirhamnoside, the phytosterols β-sitosterol and daucosterol, and the fatty alcohol 1-hexacosanol can be found in ''S. media''.<ref>Studies on the Chemical Constituents From Stellaria media (II). Huang Yuan, Dong Qi, Qiao Shan-Yi, Pharmaceutical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army, 2007-03 ([http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-JFJN200703008.htm abstract]) (Article in Chinese)</ref> Other flavonoid constituents are apigenin 6-C-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-8-C-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside, apigenin 6-C-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-8-C-beta-D-galactopyranoside, apigenin 6-C-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-8-C-beta-L-arabinopyranoside, apigenin 6-C-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-8-C-beta-D-galactopyranoside, apigenin 6, 8-di-C-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Dong |first1=Q |last2=Huang |first2=Y |last3=Qiao |first3=SY |year=2007 |title=Studies on chemical constituents from stellaria media. I |journal=Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi = Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi = China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica |language=zh |volume=32 |issue=11 |pages=1048–51 |pmid=17672340}}</ref> The plant also contains triterpenoid saponins<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hu |first1=Y.M. |last2=Wang |first2=H. |last3=Ye |first3=W.C. |last4=Qian |first4=L. |year=2009 |title=New triterpenoid fromStellaria media(L.) Cyr |journal=Natural Product Research |volume=23 |issue=14 |pages=1274–8 |doi=10.1080/14786410701642532 |pmid=19735039 |s2cid=34873907}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Weng |first1=A |last2=Thakur |first2=M |last3=Beceren-Braun |first3=F |last4=Gilabert-Oriol |first4=R |last5=Boettger |first5=S |last6=Melzig |first6=MF |last7=Fuchs |first7=H |year=2012 |title=Synergistic interaction of triterpenoid saponins and plant protein toxins |journal=Planta Medica |volume=78 |issue=11 |doi=10.1055/s-0032-1320271}}</ref> of the hydroxylated oleanolic acid type.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Böttger |first1=Stefan |last2=Melzig |first2=Matthias F. |year=2011 |title=Triterpenoid saponins of the Caryophyllaceae and Illecebraceae family |journal=Phytochemistry Letters |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=59 |bibcode=2011PChL....4...59B |doi=10.1016/j.phytol.2010.08.003}}</ref> Proanthocyanidins are present in the testa of seeds.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bittrich |first1=V. |last2=Amaral |first2=Maria Do Carmo E. |year=1991 |title=Proanthocyanidins in the testa of centrospermous seeds |journal=Biochemical Systematics and Ecology |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=319 |bibcode=1991BioSE..19..319B |doi=10.1016/0305-1978(91)90020-Z}}</ref>
=== Similar species === thumb|Chickweeds have a line of hairs along one side of stem. Chickweeds are recognisable by the line of hairs down the stem. The species most likely to be confused with chickweeds are mouse-ears (''Cerastium''), however, mouse-ears are hairy all over (leaves and stems).
Common chickweed can be differentiated from lesser chickweed by the presence of white petals on the former and from greater chickweed by 3–8 stamens present compared to 8–10 found in greater chickweed.<ref name="FNA">{{cite web |last1=Morton |first1=John K. |date=5 November 2020 |title=''Stellaria media'' - FNA |url=http://floranorthamerica.org/Stellaria_media |access-date=30 April 2024 |website=Flora of North America}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Morton |first1=John K. |date=5 November 2020 |title=''Stellaria neglecta'' - FNA |url=http://floranorthamerica.org/Stellaria_neglecta |access-date=3 May 2024 |website=Flora of North America}}</ref> Water chickweed has petals longer than the sepals.<ref name="Stace" />
==Taxonomy== The name ''Stellaria media'' was published by Domínique Villars in Histoire des plantes du Dauphiné in 1789. It has accumulated a huge number of synonyms since then, as well as many putative varieties and subspecies, very few of which are accepted today.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Global Biodiversity Information Facility |title=Stellaria media (L.) Vill. |url=https://www.gbif.org/species/5384604 |access-date=12 March 2023}}</ref>
The name ''Stellaria'' is derived from the word 'stella' meaning 'star',<ref>{{cite book |last1=Stearn |first1=William T. |title=Botanical Latin: History, Grammar, Syntax, Terminology and Vocabulary |date=1980 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-7153-5645-3}}</ref> which is a reference to the shape of its flowers; ''media'' is Latin for 'between', 'intermediate', or 'mid-sized'.<ref name="gledhill">Gledhill, David (2008). "The Names of Plants". Cambridge University Press. {{ISBN|9780521866453}} (hardback), {{ISBN|9780521685535}} (paperback). pp 253, 361</ref>
It is sometimes called '''common chickweed''' to distinguish it from other plants called chickweed. Other common names include '''chickenwort''', '''craches''', '''maruns''', and '''winterweed'''.
==Distribution and habitat== thumb|The sepals have very long hairs. [[File:Stellaria media MHNT.BOT.2008.1.33.jpg|thumb|Seeds MHNT]] ''Stellaria media'' is widespread in Asia, Europe, North America, and other parts of the world. There are several closely related plants referred to as chickweed, but which lack the culinary properties of plants in the genus ''Stellaria.''
''Stellaria media'' is common in lawns, meadows, waste places, and open areas.<ref>Hackney, P. (ed) 1992. ''Stewart and Corry's Flora of the North-east of Ireland.'' Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen's University of Belfast. {{ISBN|0-85389-446-9}}(HB)</ref><ref>Webb, D.A. Parnell, J. and Doogue, D. 1996. ''An Irish Flora.'' Dundalgan Press (W.Tempest) Ltd. {{ISBN|0-85221-131-7}}</ref> Its Ellenberg values in Britain are L = 7, F = 5, R = 6, N = 7, and S = 0.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hill |first1=M.O. |url=http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/6411/1/ECOFACT2a.pdf |title=Ellenberg's indicator values for British plants. ECOFACT Volume 2. Technical Annex |last2=Mountford |first2=J.O. |last3=Roy |first3=D.B. |last4=Bunce |first4=R.G.H. |date=1999 |publisher=Institute of Terrestrial Ecology |isbn=1870393481 |access-date=29 May 2017}}</ref>
==Ecology== The larvae of the following species of Lepidoptera feed on chickweed: chickweed geometer (''Haematopis grataria''), yellow shell (''Camptogramma bilineata''), pale-banded dart (''Agnorisma badinodis''), dusky cutworm (''Agrotis venerabilis'') and dainty sulphur (''Nathalis iole''). It is susceptible to downy mildew caused by the oomycete species ''Peronospora alsinearum''.<ref name="Constantinescu">{{cite journal |last1= Constantinescu |first1= O. |title= An annotated list of ''Peronospora'' names |date= 1991 |journal= Thunbergia |volume= 15}}</ref>
It is eaten by chickens, wild birds, and mountain sheep.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Niering |first1=William A. |author-link1=William Niering |title=The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region |last2=Olmstead |first2=Nancy C. |publisher=Knopf |year=1985 |isbn=0-394-50432-1 |page=462 |orig-year=1979}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Angier |first=Bradford |author-link=Bradford Angier |url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoedib00angi/page/62/mode/2up |title=Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=Stackpole Books |year=1974 |isbn=0-8117-0616-8 |location=Harrisburg, PA |pages=62 |oclc=799792}}</ref> thumb thumb
==Potential toxicity== Chickweed contains plant chemicals known as saponins, which can be toxic to some species (notably fish). It is unlikely that most land animals will be affected, as the quantities involved are not large. However, it is not advised during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stellaria media |url=https://pfaf.org/User/plant.aspx?LatinName=Stellaria+media |access-date=28 April 2021 |website=PFAF.org |publisher=Plants for a future}}</ref>
==Uses== ''Stellaria media'' is edible and nutritious, and is used as a leaf vegetable, often raw in salads.<ref>[http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Stellaria+media Stellaria media] at Plants for a Future</ref> It is one of the ingredients of the symbolic dish consumed in the Japanese springtime festival, ''Nanakusa-no-sekku''. Some varieties or similar species may be too fibrous to eat.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Benoliel|first=Doug|title=Northwest Foraging: The Classic Guide to Edible Plants of the Pacific Northwest|publisher=Skipstone|year=2011|isbn=978-1-59485-366-1|edition=Rev. and updated|location=Seattle, WA|pages=63|oclc=668195076}}</ref>
It is said to have medicinal properties and is used in folk medicine. It has been used as a remedy to treat itchy skin conditions and pulmonary diseases.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hensel|first=Wolfgang|title=Medicinal plants of Britain and Europe|year=2008|publisher=A&C Black|location=London|isbn=9781408101544}}</ref> 17th-century herbalist John Gerard recommended it as a remedy for mange. Modern herbalists prescribe it for iron-deficiency anemia (for its high iron content), as well as for skin diseases, bronchitis, rheumatic pains, arthritis, and period pain.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://hartonweb.com/nsp-herbs/goodhealthherbs.com/?sn=220-2 | title = Chickweed | last = Wiest | first = Renee | website = hartonweb.com | publisher = Good Health Herbs | access-date = 15 Dec 2015}}</ref> Not all of these uses are supported by scientific evidence.<ref>{{cite book|last=Howard| first=Michael| title=Traditional folk remedies : a comprehensive herbal| year=1987| publisher=Century| location=London|isbn= 0-7126-1731-0| page=119}}</ref> The plant was used by the Ainu for treating bruises and aching bones. Stems were steeped in hot water before being applied externally to affected areas.<ref name="Ainu Economic Plants">Batchelor, J. and Miyabe, K. (n.d.). Ainu economic plants. 1st ed. 1893.</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== * {{Cite book |last1=Everitt |first1=J.H. |last2=Lonard |first2=R.L. |last3=Little |first3=C.R. |title=Weeds in South Texas and Northern Mexico |publisher=Texas Tech University Press |location=Lubbock |year=2007}} {{ISBN|0-89672-614-2}} * {{cite book |last=Tilford |first=Gregory L. |title=Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West | publisher=Mountain Press Publishing Company |date=1997 |isbn=0-87842-359-1}}
==External links== {{Wikiversity-bc|Stellaria media}} * {{Commons category-inline|Stellaria media}} * {{Wikispecies-inline|Stellaria media}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q158711}} {{Authority control}}
media Category:Garden plants of Europe Category:Flora of the Antipodes Islands Category:Flora of Macquarie Island Category:Medicinal plants Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Leaf vegetables Category:Flora of Algeria