Stellaria calycantha
Northern starwort, Northern Starwort
(c) Jason Hollinger, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Stellaria calycantha (Northern starwort) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by high elevation, small shiny leaves, thick outcurved styles.
Northern starwort is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, California Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and other mountain ranges in mossy banks, bogs, and wet meadows at elevations of 1,700 to 3,800 meters. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small white flowers (rarely up to 5 petals) on delicate stems. Growing 5 to 25 centimeters tall with a white rhizome, it can grow prostrate or erect with glabrous or slightly hairy stems. Its leaves are elliptic to ovate, 3 to 25 millimeters long, with shiny margins that may be wavy and occasionally ciliate. The tiny red-brown seeds are less than one millimeter long and nearly smooth, giving this delicate starwort a subtle, understated character.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 10 sympatric species; key features are high elevation, small shiny leaves, thick outcurved styles
Habitat and range
Habitat: Mossy banks, bogs, dry creeks, wet meadows, shaded areas
Elevation: 1700-3800 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Riverside, Inyo, Modoc, Placer, Tehama, Alpine, Butte, Tuolumne, Kern, Plumas, Sierra, Madera, Mono, Shasta, Nevada, Trinity, Colusa, Calaveras, Humboldt, Mariposa, Lassen
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, northeastern Asia
Bloom period
Stellaria calycantha blooms Jun-Aug.
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 calycantha native to California?
Yes. Stellaria calycantha is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stellaria calycantha bloom?
Stellaria calycantha blooms Jun-Aug.
Where in California does Stellaria calycantha grow?
Stellaria calycantha occurs in San Bernardino, Tulare, Fresno, El Dorado, Siskiyou, Riverside, Inyo, Modoc and other counties, at elevations of 1700-3800 m.
What plant family does Stellaria calycantha belong to?
Stellaria calycantha is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Stellaria.
What habitat does Stellaria calycantha grow in?
Stellaria calycantha grows in Mossy banks, bogs, dry creeks, wet meadows, shaded areas.
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.