Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Myosoton aquaticum
giant chickweed, water chickweed
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington; British Columbia to Oregon, east to Idaho and Montana; also in central and eastern North America.

Habitat: Stream banks, woods, marshes and wet meadows.

Flowers: June-October

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Straggling, herbaceous perennial, the stems decumbent to ascending, simple or branched, up to 6 dm. tall, pubescent above.

Leaves:

Leaves opposite, ovate, the tip acute, the lower leaves petiolate, gradually reduced upward, becoming sessile above

Flowers:

Flowers solitary in the leaf axils, long petiolate; sepals 5, green, linear-oblanceolate; petals 5, white, deeply notched, about 7 mm. long, much longer than the sepals; stamens 10; styles 5.

Fruits:

Capsule globose-ovoid, opening by 5 valves.

Identification Notes:

Capsule

Accepted Name:
Myosoton aquaticum (L.) Moench
Publication: Methodus. 225. 1794.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Alsine aquatica (L.) Britton
Cerastium aquaticum L.
Stellaria aquatica (L.) Scop. [HC]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Myosoton aquaticum in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Myosoton aquaticum checklist entry

OregonFlora: Myosoton aquaticum information

E-Flora BC: Myosoton aquaticum atlas page

CalPhotos: Myosoton aquaticum photos

3 photographs:
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