Longifolia: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species. 

	plants perennial; NOT [plants annual]
	plants glabrous; NOT [plants glandular pubescent throughout]
	plants NOT glandular-viscid
	upper part of stems and leaf margins papillate, rough; NOT [upper part of stems and leaf margins smooth]
	leaves spreading or loosely ascending; NOT [leaves erect]
	all leaves sessile; NOT [basal leaves petioled]
	leaves linear, acute at both ends; NOT [leaves linear-lanceolate, mostly broadest below the middle] (FOA)
	leaf blades linear-elliptic, broadest at middle or distally; NOT [leaf blades lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, broadest proximally] (FNA)
	bracts of inflorescence, at least the uppermost, whitish, scarious, membranous; NOT [bracts of inflorescence all green, not scarious, not membranous]
	pedicels widely spreading; NOT [pedicels erect or ascending]
	petals as long as the sepals or slightly longer; NOT [petals minute or none]

Stellaria: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. 

	plants NOT with woody base
	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]
	corolla present
	sepals entirely separate; NOT [sepals united part way, forming a tube]
	petals deeply 2-cleft; NOT [petals entire or merely notched at apex]
	petals LACKING claws
	styles usually 3; NOT [styles usually 5]
	ovary NOT stipitate
	capsule ovoid or ellipsoid; NOT [capsule cylindric, often curved]
	capsule short; NOT [capsule long]
	fruit dehiscent
	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)
	capsules dehiscing by valves; NOT [capsule dehiscing by teeth] (FOA)
	capsule usually opening with 6 valves; NOT [capsule usually opening with 10 valves] (BF)
	fruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]

Caryophyllaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora  leading to this family. 

	herbs; NOT [shrubs or trees]
	plants terrestrial or semiaquatic; NOT [plants aquatic, leaves submerged or floating]
	terrestrial plants; NOT [mud plants with small axillary flowers]
	plants NOT with colored milky juice
	plants with more than one normal leaf
	leaves opposite, whorled, or basal; NOT [some or all leaves alternate]
	leaves NOT glandular-dotted
	plants WITHOUT large petal-like bracts
	flowers with two floral rings, and with each petal distinct from the others]
	sepals more than 2; NOT [sepals 2]
	stamens NOT united at base
	styles 2 or more; NOT [styles single]