Cerastium glomeratum Thuillier

Sticky Chickweed; Sticky Mouse Ear Chickweed

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Sticky Mouse Ear Chickweed is a non-native annual in the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama, and is the most common member of the genus in our state. Sticky Mouse Ear Chickweed occurs in disturbed areas such as on roadsides, in lawns and cemeteries, in fallow fields, and in pastures. Probably native to Eurasia, Sticky Mouse Ear Chickweed is now found worldwide. It undergoes vegetative growth from late autumn through early spring. It flowers from late winter though the spring months. It is an annual with opposite, pubescent, sessile leaves. The leaves are ovate in outline. The stems are branched several times and glandular pubescent. The flowers are produced in clusters of three to fifty at the stem apex. The pedicels (stalks of individual flowers) are shorter than the sepals. The sepals are narrow and pointed. They are longer than the petals, and have both glandular and non-glandular hairs. Their tips have long appressed non-glandular hairs. The flowers have five white petals that are deeply notched. The fruit is a capsule containing many small tan seed. The capsule remains surrounded by the sepals which become pale in color and papery. Six other species of Cerastium occur in the state. They are similar in appearance to Sticky Mouse Ear Chickweed and occur in similar habitats.--A. Diamond

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Not Native FACU- (NWPL)

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