Cerastium
Family :
Famille :
Caryophyllaceae
Synonym(s) :
Synonyme(s) :
Common Name(s) :
Nom(s) commun(s) :
Chickweed
(English) (GC 2016)
Céraiste (French) (GC 2016)
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seed
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seeds
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seed
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seed
Overview
Aperçu
Regulation :
Remarques Réglementation:
- CFIA Weed Seeds Order - Class 4: Secondary Noxious Weed Seeds
- CFIA Weed Seeds Order - Class 5: Noxious Weed Seeds
Regulation Notes:
Distribution :
Répartition :
The genus contains about 100 species, originating mainly from north temperate regions of Eurasia and North America and widely introduced around the world (FNA 1993+; Mabberley 2008; USDA-ARS 2021). In Canada, 18 species are distributed across all provinces and territories (Brouillet et al. 2010+). Of these, 13 are native to at least some provinces and the other 5 are introduced (Brouillet et al. 2010+).
Habitat and Crop Association :
Habitat et Cultures Associées :
Cultivated fields, old fields, pastures, rangelands, meadows, gardens, lawns, turf, ditches, roadsides and disturbed areas (Frankton and Muligan 1993; Royer and Dickinson 1999; Darbyshire 2003). In Canada, not a significant problem in cultivated fields where they do not survive tillage, but can become problematic in overgrazed pastures (Royer and Dickinson 1999).
Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :
Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :
Duration of Life Cycle :
Durée du cycle vital:
Annual or perennial
Dispersal Unit Type :
Type d’unité de dispersion :
Seed
Distribution of Cerastium spp. L. in Canada and the United States (source: USDA-NRCS 2022)
Global distribution of Cerastium spp. L. (source: GBIF 2022)
General Information
RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX
The two most commonly encountered species in Canada are Cerastium arvense (field chickweed) and Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare (mouse-eared chickweed). C. arvense appears to be both native and introduced in North America, while C. fontanum subsp. vulgare is native to Europe and Asia (Darbyshire 2003).
C. arvense is problematic in overgrazed rangeland and pastures (Royer and Dickinson 1999). C. fontanum subsp. vulgare can be found in cultivated fields (Darbyshire 2003), and the seed may remain viable for up to 68 years (DiTomaso and Healy 2007).
.Identification
Identification
-
Capsule
Size
- Capsule length: 3.0 – 5.0 mm (FNA 1993+)
Shape
- Capsule is egg or oblong shaped (FNA 1993+)
Surface Texture
- Capsule surface is smooth
Colour
- Capsule is shiny straw yellow coloured
Other Features
- Capsule is shiny green when immature
- Capsule disperses seed by opening with 6 tooth-like valves (FNA 1993+)
- Capsule contains an average of 8-10 seeds (Turkington et al. 1980)
-
Seed
Size
- Seed size within weedy Cerastium species ranges from 0.4 – 1.2 mm diameter (FNA 1993+)
- Cerastium arvense seed length*: 0.5 – 0.8 mm; width: 0.5 – 0.7 mm
*Note: minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)
Shape
- Seed is ovate to wedge-shaped seed; compressed
Surface Texture
- Seed surface is tuberculate; tubercles with indistinct stellate bases
Colour
- Seed dull reddish-brown
Other Features
Hilum & Hilum area
- Hilum is in an open notch at narrow end of seed
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
-
Embryo
Size
- Embryo partially fills the seed
Shape
- Embryo is curved, in a peripheral position
Endosperm
- Endosperm is hard, translucent white coloured
Other Features
- Embryo is yellow coloured
Identification Tips
CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION
Cerastium species seeds have a combination of features that distinguishes them in the Caryophyllaceae:
- Small size
- Generally wedge-shaped
- Hilum in an open notch
- Surface tuberculate with stellate bases
Seeds of Cerastium species appear similar to other genera in the Caryophyllaceae that are small, reddish brown coloured, with stellate grooved reticulation, such as Stellaria species. These species differ from Cerastium species seeds by their translucent colour, hilum in a closed notch and deep grooved reticulation with raised interspaces.
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
Additional Botany Information
AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES
Similar Species
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.
Stellaria media (L.) Vill (common chickweed)
S. media seed is generally larger (diameter*: 0.7 – 1.1 mm ) than commonly encountered Cerastium spp. such as C. arvense (length*: 0.5 – 0.8 mm; width: 0.5 – 0.7 mm)
S. media seeds are round or wedge-shaped with a closed hilum notch, and are translucent reddish-brown, compared to the colour and open hilum notch of Cerastium species seeds.
*Note: minimum and maximum of 10 seeds in a normal range of this species using image measurement (ISMA 2020)
Click to select species
Cliquez pour sélectionner les espèces
Stellaria media
Comparison Window
Fenêtre de comparaison
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seeds
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Field chickweed (Cerastium arvense) seed
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seeds
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seed
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Cerastium
Cerastium
Caryophyllaceae
Mouse-eared chickweed (Cerastium fontanum subsp. vulgare) seed
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Stellaria media
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
Common chickweed (Stellaria media) seeds
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Stellaria media
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
Common chickweed (Stellaria media) seeds
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Stellaria media
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
Common chickweed (Stellaria media) seed
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Stellaria media
Stellaria media
Caryophyllaceae
Common chickweed (Stellaria media) seed, side view
Need ID Help?
Besoin d’aide pour l’identification?
Reference(s)
Référence(s)
Brouillet, L., Coursol, F., Meades, S. J., Favreau, M., Anions, M., Bélisle, P. and Desmet, P. 2010+. VASCAN, the database of vascular plants of Canada. http://data.canadensys.net/vascan/ Accessed August 12, 2021.
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Branch. Ottawa, ON.
DiTomaso, J. M. and Healy, E. A. 2007. Weeds of California and Other Western States. Vol. 1. 834 pp. University of California, CA.
Flora of North America (FNA) Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. New York and Oxford. http://beta.floranorthamerica.org. Accessed December 29, 2022.
Frankton, C. and Mulligan, G. A. 1993. Weeds of Canada. Agriculture Canada, Publication 948.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) Secretariat. 2022. https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei Accessed via https://www.gbif.org/species/2873815 Accessed December 29, 2022.
Government of Canada (GC). 2016. Canadian Weed Seeds Order. https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2016-93/page-2.html (English) https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/fra/reglements/DORS-2016-93/page-2.html (French)
International Seed Morphology Association (ISMA). 2020. Method for Seed Size Measurement. Version 1.0. ISMA Publication Guide. https://www.idseed.org/authors/details/method_for_seed_size_measurement.html
Mabberley, D. J. 2008. Mabberley’s plant-book: A portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses (3rd eds). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 1021 pp.
Royer, F. and Dickinson, R. 1999. Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. The University of Alberta Press/Lone Pine Publishing, Edmonton, Alberta.
Turkington, Roy, Kenkel, Norman, C. and Franko, Gail, D. 1980. The biology of Canadian weeds. 42. Stellaria media (L.) Vill. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 60: 981-992.
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). 2021. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx Accessed August 12, 2021.