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Myosoton aquaticum — Details

Giantchickweed learn more about names for this taxon

Overview

Comprehensive Description

Description

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This adventive perennial plant is 1–2½' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are erect or spreading, and more or less hairy. The opposite leaves are up to 2" long and 1" across. They are cordate-ovate, smooth along the margins, slightly pubescent, and usually sessile (the lower leaves may have short petioles). Single flowers may develop from the leaf axils of the upper stems, while the remaining flowers occur in small clusters at the end of stems. Each flower is about ½" across when it is fully open, consisting of 5 white petals that are cleft, 5 green sepals that are ovate and pubescent, 5 slender white styles, and 10 stamens. There is some variability across populations of plants regarding how deeply cleft the petals are. These petals are slightly longer to much longer than the sepals. The pedicel of each flower is conspicuously pubescent and up to 1" long. The blooming period occurs from late spring to late summer and lasts about 2-3 months. Each flower is replaced by a seed capsule that is ovoid and single-celled; it contains several seeds. Each seed is orbicular-reniform and minutely bumpy across the surface. The root system is fibrous and produces rhizomes, which enables this plant to form vegetative colonies.

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Distribution

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Alsine aquatica (L.) Britton:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Small, J. K. 1933. Man. S.E. Fl. i–xxii, 1–1554. Published by the Author, New York. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1515

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Stellaria aquatica (L.) Scop.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Gleason, H. A. 1968. The Choripetalous Dicotyledoneae. vol. 2. 655 pp. In H. A. Gleason Ill. Fl. N. U.S. (ed. 3). New York Botanical Garden, New York. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1704
Radford, A. E., H. E. Ahles & C. R. Bell. 1968. Man. Vasc. Fl. Carolinas i–lxi, 1–1183. University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/636
Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Fl. Great Plains i–vii, 1–1392. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/637
Godfrey, R. K. & J. W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic Wetland Pl. S.E. U.S. Dicot. 933 pp. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1711

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Myosoton aquaticum (L.) Moench:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)
China (Asia)

Voss, E. G. 1985. Michigan Flora. Part II Dicots (Saururaceae-Cornaceae). Bull. Cranbrook Inst. Sci. 59. xix + 724. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1700
Fernald, M. 1950. Manual (ed. 8) i–lxiv, 1–1632. American Book Co., New York. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1327
Flora of China Editorial Committee. 2001. Fl. China 6: 1–512. Science Press & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing & St. Louis. http://www.tropicos.org/Reference/1018509

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National Distribution

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Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

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Distribution

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Temperate regions of Eurasia and N. Africa; a weed.

Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal @ eFloras.org

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Range and Habitat in Illinois

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Water Chickweed occurs occasionally in northern Illinois and a few counties in central Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is adventive from Europe and appears to be spreading. Habitats include wet to moist areas along streams, meadows, roadside ditches, pastures, and gardens. It often occurs in degraded habitats, but can also be found in higher quality habitats growing alongside native flora.

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Physical Description

Morphology

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Reports of Myosoton aquaticum from Louisiana appear to be based on misidentified specimens of Stellaria cuspidata Willdenow ex Schlechtendal subsp. prostrata (Baldwin) J. K. Morton.

Although occurring over a wide area, Myosoton aquaticum is often noted as rare or occasional in particular states or provinces. Very few collections of this species from the flora area were made prior to 1900; two of the first gatherings were from port areas (Baltimore, Maryland, and as a ballast plant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1877). Its presence outside the Japanese Pavillion at the Philadelphia Centennial Grounds in 1878 (Scribner 50 and 51, MO) suggests an escape from an intentional introduction.

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Description

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Stems 10-100 cm, minutely glandular-pilose distally. Leaf blades 2-3.5(-8.5) × 1-2(-4.4) cm. Pedicels 1-2(-3) cm, minutely glandular-pilose. Flowers: sepals 4-6 mm, to 9 mm in fruit; petals 4-7 mm, mostly exceeding sepals. Capsules 5-10 mm, usually slightly exceeding calyx. 2n = 20(?) (Asia), 28 (Europe, Asia), 29 (Europe).

Flora of North America @ eFloras.org

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Comments

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This species is used medicinally, as a wild vegetable, and as fodder.

Flora of China @ eFloras.org

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Description

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Stems 20--80 cm, weak, apically glandular hairy. Proximal leaves petiolate; distal leaves sessile; leaf blade 2.5--5.5 × 1--3 cm, pubescent or glabrous, base rounded or subcordate, margin undulate, apex acute. Flowers terminal or axillary; bracts leaflike, margin glandular hairy; pedicel 1--2 cm, slender, densely glandular hairy. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 4--5 mm, to ca. 7 mm in fruit, abaxially glandular pubescent, margin narrowly membranous. Petals bifid to base; lobes lanceolate, 3--3.5 mm. Stamens shorter than petals. Ovary ovoid; styles linear. Capsule pendent from spreading pedicel, exceeding sepals. Seeds rusty brown, globose, ca. 1 mm, mammillate. Fl. May--Jun, fr. Jun--Aug. 2n = 20*, 28.

Flora of China @ eFloras.org

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Elevation Range

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1400 m

Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal @ eFloras.org

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Diagnostic Description

Synonym

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Cerastium aquaticum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 439. 1753; Alsine aquatica (Linnaeus) Britton; Stellaria aquatica (Linnaeus) Scopoli

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Synonym

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Cerastium aquaticum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 439. 1753; Malachium aquaticum (Linnaeus) Fries; Stellaria aquatica (Linnaeus) Scopoli.

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat & Distribution

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Flowering spring-fall. Stream banks, low woods, marshes, meadows, occasionally cultivated areas; 100-700 m; introduced; B.C., Ont., Que.; Conn., Del., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis.; Europe; temperate Asia.

Flora of North America @ eFloras.org

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Habitat & Distribution

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Mountain slopes, valleys, forests, floodlands, field margins; 300--2700 m. Throughout China [cosmopolitan].

Flora of China @ eFloras.org

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Range and Habitat in Illinois

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Water Chickweed occurs occasionally in northern Illinois and a few counties in central Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is adventive from Europe and appears to be spreading. Habitats include wet to moist areas along streams, meadows, roadside ditches, pastures, and gardens. It often occurs in degraded habitats, but can also be found in higher quality habitats growing alongside native flora.

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Associations

Associations

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Foodplant / parasite
pycnidium of Ascochyta coelomycetous anamorph of Ascochyta anisomera parasitises fading leaf of Myosoton aquaticum
Remarks: season: 8

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / open feeder
larva of Hypera diversipunctata grazes on leaf of Myosoton aquaticum

Foodplant / pathogen
embedded sorus of Microbotryum stellariae infects and damages live anther of Myosoton aquaticum

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Faunal Associations

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The nectar of the flowers attracts small bees and Syrphid flies; some bees may collect pollen, while flies occasionally feed on pollen. The caterpillars of several moth species probably feed on the foliage, like other chickweeds. The seeds of chickweeds are attractive to sparrows and other birds, while the foliage is eaten by rabbits. Because Water Chickweed frequently occurs in wetland habitats, its foliage is probably eaten by the Canada Goose.

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Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Myosoton aquaticum

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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 3
Species With Barcodes: 1

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Conservation

Conservation Status

National NatureServe Conservation Status

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Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

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NatureServe Conservation Status

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Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Cultivation

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The preference is full sun to light shade, wet to moist conditions, and fertile soil that is loamy or silty. It can withstand dry conditions for short periods of time.

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