Taxonomy: Fam. Caryophyllaceae// Genus: Stellaria// Species: Stellaria media (L.) Cirillo// Subspecies: Stellaria media (L.) Cirillo subsp. media// Variety: Stellaria media var. apetala Gaudin.
Determined according to the botanical keys provided by Chater and Heywood in Tutin et al. (1964) and Micevski in Micevski (1993) as Stellaria media var. apetala Gaud., Fl. Helv. 3:180 (1828). Differs from the typical form of S. media subsp. media in having absent/ reduced petals.
Lifeform: Annual, therophyte according to the Raunkiaer system.
Habitat: Hill pastured, rocky terrains, disturbed ground, footpaths. Not as widespread and invasive as the typical form.
Flowering period: Spring: MAR, APR, MAY.
Stellaria media var. apetala – habit. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – habit. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – habit. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – habit. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stem with flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowers. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stems with leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stems with leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stems with leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stem with leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stem and leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – stem with leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala –abaxial side of leaf. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala –abaxial side of leaf. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – lower part of stem and lower leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – lower part of stem and lower leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – lower part of stem and lower leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – lower part of stem and lower leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – lower part of stem and lower leaves. Gorge of “Kochanska” River, 23.03.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – flowering stems. Scale in cm/ mm. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.Stellaria media var. apetala – A, B and C: stems with flowers and leaves; D and E – stems with leaves. Scale in mm. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.
References:
Stellaria L. Chater, A.O. and Heywood, V.H. Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M., & Webb, D.A. (1964). Flora Europaea. Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 133 – 136.
Stellaria L. Micevski, K. in Micevski, K. (1993). The Flora of the Republic of Macedonia Vol. 1, Book 2. Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, pp. 246 – 249.
