Caryophyllaceae

The Pink Family

Caryophyllaceae• 2000 species• 66-75 genera• Herbs, rarely shrubs• Stems often have swollen nodes

Caryophyllaceae• Leaves are opposite (rarely alternate), simple, entire, stipulate

or estipulate• Dioecious• Grow in temperate and warm-temperate regions in the

northern hemisphere

Caryophyllaceae• Flowers are perfect (rarely imperfect) and regular• Sepals are distinct or connate • Petals are notched• Ovary is superior • Fruit is a capsule

Stellaria longifoliaLong-leaved chickweed

Stems 10-35 cm, glabrousLeaves sessile; blade green to yellowish green, linear Flowers 5-9 mm, 5 sepals, 3-veined, ovate-elliptic, glabrous; 5 petals, 5-10 stamens; 3 stylesCapsules blackishSeeds brownPerennialFlowering late spring-summer. Found in wet meadows and woodlands, and marshes

References• http://www.plantsystematics.org/users/jdelaet/9_8_04_s/nP9041094.JPG• http://plant-life.org/Caryophyllaceae/schematic01.gif• http://www.zum.de/stueber/lindman/346.jpg• http://www.yashilmisho.com/images/Giyahan/caryophyllaceae.jpg• http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242000902• http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://botanika.bf.jcu.cz/materials/photogallery-pictures/

Stellaria_nemorum.jpg&imgrefurl=http://botanika.bf.jcu.cz/materials/fotogalerie-nahledy.php%3Ffamily%3DCaryophyllaceae%26genus%3DStellaria%26name%3DRosopsida&usg=__ItK9y-RrSR-k1uBWgvzX0Mb6znA=&h=840&w=560&sz=148&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=yUPZwDIKHzA8uM:&tbnh=145&tbnw=97&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstellaria%2Blongifolia%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1

• Walters, Dirk et al. 2006. Vascular Plant Taxonomy. 5th edition. U.S. Kendall/Hunt. 180. Print.• http://www.cvni.org/wildflowernursery/wildflowers/images/19.jpg• http://delta-intkey.com/angio/images/caryo02.jpg• http://www.missouriplants.com/Pinkopp/Dianthus_armeria_page.html