Stellaria sp.
Chickweed, starwort, Starwort
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Stellaria sp. (Chickweed) is a non-native California perennial in the Caryophyllaceae family.
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 sp. native to California?
No. Stellaria sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Stellaria sp. belong to?
Stellaria sp. is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Stellaria.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Stellaria umbellata — Umbellate starwort
- Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana — Sitka starwort
- Stellaria calycantha — Northern starwort
- Stellaria crispa — Crisp starwort
- Stellaria graminea — Common starwort
- Stellaria littoralis — Beach starwort
- Torreyostellaria jamesiana — Tuber starwort
- Torreyostellaria sp.
- Achyronychia cooperi — Onyx flower
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.