Stellaria multiflora Hook. APNI*
Description: Annual herb with several erect or ascending stems, internodes often short; entirely glabrous or with scattered long hairs.
Leaves narrow-ovate to lanceolate or narrow-spathulate, 5–10 mm long, c. 2 mm wide; sessile or petiolate.
Flowers axillary; pedicels stout, 2–5 mm long. Sepals lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, margins scarious. Petals absent. Stamens 5 or 10.
Capsule ovoid, equal to or longer than the calyx; seeds numerous.
Flowering: August–November
Distribution and occurrence: Rarely collected: from North Western Plains to Southern Tablelands. Also in Queensland, Victoria,, South Australia and Western Australia. Grows in dry pastures and stony places.
NSW subdivisions: SC, CT, ST, NWS, ?CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. Tas. S.A. W.A.
A variable taxon that needs further study; three subspecies are recognised currently.
Text by A. Doust (1990); edited KL Wilson (Nov 2012) Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990); CH Miller and JG West (2012)
| Key to the subspecies | |
1 | Mature fruit broad-ellipsoid, usually >2 mm diam.; valve apex strongly revolute | subsp. multiflora |
| Mature fruit narrow-ovoid to narrow-ellipsoid, <2 mm diam.; valve apex straight or slightly recurved | 2 |
2 | Fruiting pedicels with distinct collar, pedicel at collar >0.5 mm diam.; petals 3–5(-6), minute but usually 2-fid | subsp. collaris |
| Fruiting pedicels lacking collar, pedicel c. 0.5 mm diam.or less; petals absent Back to 1 | subsp. nebulosa |
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