Stellaria longifolia
 
Long-Leaved Stitchwort

5th Lowest Leaf Bottom

Hudson Bay Regional Park
23-June-2015

Note the leaf is tapered at both ends.

bullet

Longifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
bullet

plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]

bullet

plants glabrous; NOT [plants glandular pubescent throughout]

bullet

plants NOT glandular-viscid

bullet

upper part of stems and leaf margins papillate, rough; NOT [upper part of stems and leaf margins smooth]

bullet

leaves spreading or loosely ascending; NOT [leaves erect]

bullet

all leaves sessile; NOT [basal leaves petioled]

bullet

leaves linear, acute at both ends; NOT [leaves linear-lanceolate, mostly broadest below the middle] (FOA)

bullet

leaf blades linear-elliptic, broadest at middle or distally; NOT [leaf blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, broadest proximally] (FNA)

bullet

bracts of inflorescence, at least the uppermost, whitish, scarious, membranous; NOT [bracts of inflorescence all green, not scarious, not membranous]

bullet

pedicels widely spreading; NOT [pedicels erect or ascending]

bullet

petals as long as the sepals or slightly longer; NOT [petals minute or none]

 

bullet

Stellaria: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
bullet

plants NOT with woody base

bullet

leaves without stipules; NOT [leaves with scarious stipules], NOT [plants with small, ovate, papery stipules at junction of stem and leaf, and stem and branch]

bullet

corolla present

bullet

sepals entirely separate; NOT [sepals united part way, forming a tube]

bullet

petals deeply 2-cleft; NOT [petals entire or merely notched at apex]

bullet

petals LACKING claws

bullet

styles usually 3; NOT [styles usually 5]

bullet

ovary NOT stipitate

bullet

capsule ovoid or ellipsoid; NOT [capsule cylindric, often curved]

bullet

capsule short; NOT [capsule long]

bullet

fruit dehiscent

bullet

capsule opening with twice as many valves or teeth as there are styles; NOT [capsule opening with as many entire (or later 2-cleft) valves as there are styles] (BF)

bullet

capsules dehiscing by valves; NOT [capsule dehiscing by teeth] (FOA)

bullet

capsule usually opening with 6 valves; NOT [capsule usually opening with 10 valves] (BF)

bullet

fruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

 

bullet

Caryophyllaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
bullet

herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

bullet

plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

bullet

terrestrial plants; NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]

bullet

plants NOT with colored milky juice

bullet

plants with more than one normal leaf

bullet

leaves opposite, whorled, or basal; NOT [some or all leaves alternate]

bullet

leaves NOT glandular-dotted

bullet

plants WITHOUT large petal-like bracts

bullet

flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others]

bullet

sepals more than 2; NOT [sepals 2]

bullet

stamens NOT united at base

bullet

styles 2 or more; NOT [styles single]