Stellaria umbellata
Umbellate starwort
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Caryophyllaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Stellaria umbellata (Umbellate starwort) is a native California herb in the Caryophyllaceae family, recognized by umbel-like inflorescence and smooth shiny elliptic leaves.
Umbellate starwort is a California native perennial found in northern California mountain regions including the North Coast Ranges, Sierra Nevada, and Warner Mountains in moist meadows, rocky summits, and streamsides at elevations of 1,800 to 2,300 meters. Flowering during summer, this plant produces tiny flowers in small, umbel-like clusters with delicate white or near-white petals. Growing prostrate to erect with white rhizomes, it forms low-growing plants 2 to 20 centimeters tall with slender, glabrous stems. Its leaves are elliptic to ovate, 5 to 20 millimeters long, evenly spaced along the stem, with a shiny, flat surface and smooth margins. The plant produces small brown seeds approximately 0.6 to 0.7 millimeters long, with weak ribs on its sepals.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 8 sympatric species; key features are umbel-like inflorescence and smooth shiny elliptic leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist meadows, rocky summits, streamsides
Elevation: 1800-2300 m
California counties: Alpine, Fresno, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Tulare, Madera, Butte, El Dorado, Glenn, Inyo, Mono, Placer, Sierra, Tehama, Tuolumne, Plumas, Shasta, Trinity, Siskiyou, Mariposa
Outside California: to Alaska, Montana, New Mexico, northeastern Asia
Bloom period
Stellaria umbellata blooms Summer.
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 umbellata native to California?
Yes. Stellaria umbellata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Stellaria umbellata bloom?
Stellaria umbellata blooms Summer.
Where in California does Stellaria umbellata grow?
Stellaria umbellata occurs in Alpine, Fresno, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Tulare, Madera, Butte and other counties, at elevations of 1800-2300 m.
What plant family does Stellaria umbellata belong to?
Stellaria umbellata is in the Caryophyllaceae family, genus Stellaria.
What habitat does Stellaria umbellata grow in?
Stellaria umbellata grows in Moist meadows, rocky summits, streamsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Stellaria borealis subsp. sitchana — Sitka starwort
- Stellaria calycantha — Northern starwort
- Stellaria crispa — Crisp starwort
- Stellaria graminea — Common starwort
- Stellaria littoralis — Beach starwort
- Stellaria longifolia — Long-leaved starwort
- Torreyostellaria jamesiana — Tuber starwort
- Torreyostellaria sp.
- Achyronychia cooperi — Onyx flower
- Achyronychia sp.
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.