Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes
Goldie's starwort, Goldie's Starwort
Kim Hansen (via Wikimedia Commons) · CC0
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes (Goldie's starwort) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by narrow leaves with smooth shiny margins, few-flowered terminal inflorescence.
Goldie's starwort is a California native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern California Coast Ranges, high Cascade Ranges, Sierra Nevada, central Coast Ranges, San Bernardino Mountains, Warner Mountains, northern eastern Sierra Nevada, and White and Inyo Mountains in streambanks, moist meadows, and seeps at elevations of 1,250 to 3,500 meters. Flowering from May to August, this plant produces delicate white flowers approximately 1 to 1.2 times the length of its lanceolate sepals. Growing with ascending to erect stems 5 to 35 centimeters tall, it has distinctive white rhizomes and glabrous or slightly hairy internodes. Its linear to lance-linear leaves are 10 to 40 millimeters long, with flat margins that are sometimes ciliate near the base and appear shiny. The small red-brown seeds are less than one millimeter long and minutely roughened.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 11 sympatric species; key features are narrow leaves with smooth shiny margins, few-flowered terminal inflorescence
Habitat and range
Habitat: Streambanks, moist to boggy meadows, seeps
Elevation: (0)1250-3500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, Mono, El Dorado, Butte, Madera, Mariposa, Placer, Alpine, San Luis Obispo, Amador, Calaveras, Lassen, Fresno, Kern, Nevada, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Tuolumne, Modoc
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, circumboreal
Bloom period
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes blooms May-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 longipes subsp. longipes native to California?
Yes. Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes bloom?
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes blooms May-Aug.
Where in California does Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes grow?
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes occurs in San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, Mono, El Dorado, Butte, Madera, Mariposa and other counties, at elevations of (0)1250-3500 m.
What plant family does Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes belong to?
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Stellaria.
What habitat does Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes grow in?
Stellaria longipes subsp. longipes grows in Streambanks, moist to boggy meadows, seeps.
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.