Cerastium glomeratum Thuill.   Caryophyllaceae  (Pink Family)   Europe   Mouse-ear Chickweed

                                         March Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Erect annual, viscid, simple to freely branched, 1-3 dm. high; lvs. elliptic to narrow-obovate, obtusish, hairy, 1-2.5 cm. long; bracts small, green; infl. a glomerate cyme, lax in age; pedicels scarcely or not longer than calyx; sepals 5, ovate-lanceolate, sharply acute, with scarious margins, 3.5-4.5 mm. long; petals 5, 2-cleft, ca. as long or slightly shorter than calyx, or lacking; stamens 10; styles 5; caps. slender  5-9 mm. long, dehiscent at apex by usually 10 teeth; seeds muriculate.

                                                                                Habitat:  Common in waste places, in pastures, along roads, etc., at low elevations through most of cismontane s. Calif.  Feb.-May.

Name:  Greek, cerastus, horned, referring to the shape of the capsule.  Latin, glomeris, a ball, round, to amass together.  (Jaeger 111).  Glomeratum, referring to the rounded inflorescence.  (my comment).

General:  Uncommon in the study area having been found only on the bench northerly of the Eastbluff burn area.  In 1995, a wet year, this plant was found from the cultivated lawns of Eastbluff, across the bench to nearly the bluff top.  (my comments).      A few species grown for edgings and in rock gardens; species variable, probably about 50 but by some authors described as 100, of world-wide distribution, most abundant in temperate zones.  (Bailey 371).       C. viscosum misapplied.  (Hickman Ed. 481).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 481; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 339; Roberts 18.

Photo Ref:  Mar-April 95 # 6,7.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.  

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 475.

Have Plant Specimen.

Last Edit 11/16/02.

                                              March Photo