Species: Cerastium alpinum L.

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Cerastium alpinum L.

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Caryophyllaceae

Genus:

Cerastium

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

alpine chickweed

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

northeastern Mackenzie District - northern Saskatchewan - Keewatin District, Nunavut - Baffin Island - Ellesmere Island

Saskatchewan:

northwestern Saskatchewan; Lake Athabasca - Hasbala Lake

Ecoregion:

Tazin Lake Upland, Selwyn Lake Upland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

dry, granitic outcrops in Picea mariana woods

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Endangered

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Cerastium alpinum is endangered in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare. This species is somewhat regionally restricted in the province and most local populations are small. No immediate threats have been identified.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

10 – 15 cm

Roots:

rhizome present; roots fibrous

Stems:

densely tufted, prostrate or ascending in flower, viscid and clammy, white tomentose

Leaves:

opposite, sessile, 10 – 18 mm long, 5 – 7 mm wide, obovate or ovate to lanceolate, tomentose; tips of leaves of basal offshoots with shiny, woolly hairs

Inflorescence:

cymes 2 – 4 flowered, open; bracts lanceolate, scarious, glandular pubescent; pedicels straight

Flowers:

calyx 7 – 10 mm long, base truncate, green, often violet tipped, pubescent, margin scarious; corolla 1 – 2 x as long as calyx, 7 – 20 mm long, shallowly bifid; stamens 10; styles 5

Fruits:

capsule cylindrical, dehiscing by 10 teeth; seeds dark brown, tuberculate

*KEY TO CERASTIUM* IN SASKATCHEWAN**
*C. alpinum and C. beeringianum ssp. earlei may intergrade in Saskatchewan

1 Stems lax, weak; fruiting pedicels hooked; lacking leafy offshoots	C. nutans var. nutans
1 Stems firm; fruiting pedicels straight or curved; with leafy offshoots	2

2 Corolla shorter than or equal to calyx	C. fontanum ssp. vulgare
2 Corolla distinctly longer than calyx (up to 2 – 3 times as long)	3

3 Corolla twice as long as calyx; leaves linear to narrowly ovate; upper leaves with axillary fascicles	C. arvense ssp. strictum
3 Corolla less than twice as long as calyx; leaves oblanceolate to lanceolate or spatulate; upper leaves without axillary fascicles	4

4 Tips of leaves of sterile basal offshoots with shiny, weak, woolly hairs; calyx truncate at base; corolla 7 – 20 mm long; pubescence of long, flexuous hairs	C. alpinum
4 Tips of leaves without weak, shiny woolly hairs; calyx rounded at base; corolla 6 – 8 mm; pubescence of long straight, strigose hairs	C. beeringianum ssp. earlei