Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is “common” throughout significant portions of the world. This post compares Common chickweed with Star chickweed (Stellaria pubera). The next photo shows Common chickweed as a young plant.
Notice the shape of the leaves — as well as the petioles. As Common chickweed matures, the leaves at the end of the stalk do not have petioles. The leaf also gets a bit more interesting in its overall shape. The leaf margin remains entire.
If you study the above image carefully, you will notice the line of hairs changes position along the stalk at each node. It’s like the hairs spiral up the length of the stalk. In the next photo, you can see another identifying characteristic of Common chickweed — the inner core which reveals itself when you pull on the stalk. This is easiest to demonstrate with a young plant vs. a mature plant.
Turning to Star chickweed, a woodland wildflower which blooms in early spring, we can see the overall plant does not get as full as Common chickweed.
Star chickweed’s scientific name is Stellaria pubera. “Stellaria” for the star-shaped flower. And “pubera” for the hairiness of the entire plant. Notice the fine hairs covering the leaves, circumference of the stalk, and the flower buds.
The leaves (with entire margins) grow opposite each other on this plant — similar to Common chickweed. However, Star chickweed’s leaves are lanceolate — quite different from the shape of Common chickweed’s leaves.
This very close image illustrates several intriguing details: (1) sepals shorter than the petals, (2) five white deeply cleft petals, (3) anthers in different stages (plump, used-up, shriveling and shriveled) and (4) three white styles arising from the center above the single ovary.
The flowers of Star chickweed are twice the size of Common chickweed’s flowers. The two photos on the left of this composite image are Common chickweed (Stellaria media) while the two on the right are Star chickweed (Stellaria pubera).
Lastly, here’s more useful information about Common chickweed and its relatives.