Stellaria longifolia
 
Long-Leaved Stitchwort

Middle Stem Close-Up

Hudson Bay Regional Park
23-June-2015

Note the upper parts of the stems and leaf margins are papillate-scabrid.  The roughness can be felt by running your thumb and forefinger up and down the stem.  However, this will not work if the specimen is wet from dew or rain.  The papillae cannot be seen by the naked eye, and can barely be seen through a magnifying glass.  Flora of North America suggests a 30x microscope.  The papillae are about 50 micrometers in width.

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Longifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 
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plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]

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plants glabrous; NOT [plants glandular pubescent throughout]

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plants NOT glandular-viscid

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upper part of stems and leaf margins papillate, rough; NOT [upper part of stems and leaf margins smooth]

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leaves spreading or loosely ascending; NOT [leaves erect]

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all leaves sessile; NOT [basal leaves petioled]

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leaves linear, acute at both ends; NOT [leaves linear-lanceolate, mostly broadest below the middle] (FOA)

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leaf blades linear-elliptic, broadest at middle or distally; NOT [leaf blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, broadest proximally] (FNA)

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bracts of inflorescence, at least the uppermost, whitish, scarious, membranous; NOT [bracts of inflorescence all green, not scarious, not membranous]

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pedicels widely spreading; NOT [pedicels erect or ascending]

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petals as long as the sepals or slightly longer; NOT [petals minute or none]

 

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Stellaria: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 
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plants NOT with woody base

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leaves without stipules; NOT [leaves with scarious stipules], NOT [plants with small, ovate, papery stipules at junction of stem and leaf, and stem and branch]

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corolla present

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sepals entirely separate; NOT [sepals united part way, forming a tube]

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petals deeply 2-cleft; NOT [petals entire or merely notched at apex]

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petals LACKING claws

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styles usually 3; NOT [styles usually 5]

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ovary NOT stipitate

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capsule ovoid or ellipsoid; NOT [capsule cylindric, often curved]

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capsule short; NOT [capsule long]

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fruit dehiscent

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capsule opening with twice as many valves or teeth as there are styles; NOT [capsule opening with as many entire (or later 2-cleft) valves as there are styles] (BF)

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capsules dehiscing by valves; NOT [capsule dehiscing by teeth] (FOA)

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capsule usually opening with 6 valves; NOT [capsule usually opening with 10 valves] (BF)

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fruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

 

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Caryophyllaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 
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herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]

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plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]

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terrestrial plants; NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]

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plants NOT with colored milky juice

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plants with more than one normal leaf

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leaves opposite, whorled, or basal; NOT [some or all leaves alternate]

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leaves NOT glandular-dotted

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plants WITHOUT large petal-like bracts

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flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others]

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sepals more than 2; NOT [sepals 2]

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stamens NOT united at base

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styles 2 or more; NOT [styles single]