Stellaria crispa Cham. & Schltdl.
crisp starwort (crisp sandwort; curled starwort)
Caryophyllaceae (Pink family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Jamie Fenneman     (Photo ID #6876)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Stellaria crispa
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a slender rhizome; stems prostrate to ascending, several, simple, matted, glabrous, 5-60 cm tall/long.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves opposite, lanceolate to egg-shaped, unstalked or nearly so, 5-20 mm long, 2-15 mm wide, the margins curly; stipules lacking.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of solitary flowers in the leaf axils; petals usually lacking; sepals usually 5, lanceolate, abruptly sharp-pointed, rarely obtuse, 3-4 mm long, prominently 3-nerved.
Fruits:
Capsules straw-coloured or brownish, egg-shaped, 3.5-6 mm long, 6-valved; seeds brown, 0.7-1.1 mm long, minutely wrinkled-warty.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Stellaria crispa

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
613 0 1990
Slope Gradient (%)
13 0 120

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

350 1 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
5 1 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
D
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
337
Modal BEC Zone Class
CWH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

AT(1), CDF(21), CWH(159), ESSF(37), ICH(37), IDF(5), MH(7), MS(8), SBPS(2), SBS(26)

Habitat and Range

Moist seepage sites, meadows, streambanks, fields and forests in the lowland and montane zones; common in S and coastal BC, infrequent northward; circumpolar, N to AK and YT, E to SW AB and S to WY and CA; Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Alsine crispa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Holz.
Stellaria borealis var. crispa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Fenzl ex Torr. & A. Gray