Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana
Sitka starwort, Sitka Starwort
(c) Étienne Léveillé-Bourret, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Étienne Léveillé-Bourret · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana (Sitka starwort) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by papillate leaf margins and stem internodes.
Sitka starwort is a California native perennial found in coastal and montane regions including northern California Coast, northern Coast Ranges, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Central Coast in sedge stands, meadows, streambanks, and moist woodlands at elevations up to 2,100 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white flowers with delicate petals up to half the length of its narrow sepals. Growing with sprawling to erect stems 15 to 50 centimeters tall, it has a distinctive white rhizome and stems with finely textured internodes. Its leaves are relatively evenly spaced, with blades 15 to 45 millimeters long, lance-shaped with flat, sometimes ciliate margins near the base. The small dark red-brown seeds have low, elongated tubercles, contributing to the plant's subtle botanical complexity.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; key features are papillate leaf margins and stem internodes
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sedge stands, meadows, streambanks, swamps, moist woodland
Elevation: < 2100 m
California counties: Fresno, Kern, Butte, Sonoma, Tulare, Mendocino, Tehama, Yuba, Calaveras, Mariposa, Placer, Plumas, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Marin, Shasta, Lassen, El Dorado, Madera, Tuolumne
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, Utah
Bloom period
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Cerastium: Stellaria has smooth to lightly hairy leaves; Cerastium is densely hairy and grayish-fuzzy throughout.; vs Parietaria: Stellaria has white flowers with visible petals; Parietaria has tiny greenish flowers hidden in leaf clusters.; vs Euphorbia: Stellaria has separate white flowers; Euphorbia has cup-like cyathia with milky sap when stems break.; vs Claytonia: Stellaria has deeply split petals creating star shape; Claytonia has unlobed rounded petals.; vs Polycarpon: Stellaria has stalkless pointed leaves; Polycarpon has spoon-shaped leaves with obvious stalks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana native to California?
Yes. Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana bloom?
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana grow?
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana occurs in Fresno, Kern, Butte, Sonoma, Tulare, Mendocino, Tehama, Yuba and other counties, at elevations of < 2100 m.
What plant family does Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana belong to?
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Stellaria.
What habitat does Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana grow in?
Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana grows in Sedge stands, meadows, streambanks, swamps, moist woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.