Prior names
Stellaria palustris var. tenella
Stellaria palustris var. caespitosa
Stellaria glauca var. caespitosa
Stellaria caespitosa
Stellaria glauca var. tenella
Common names
Delicate Swamp Starwort
Swamp Starwort
Etymology
Stellaria from the Latin 'stella' meaning a star and 'aria' meaning connected with; an allusion to the radiating, deeply bifid petals. Angustifolia from the Latin 'augusta' meaning narrow and 'folium' meaning a leaf. Tenella means small, delicate, tender; alluding to the habit of this variety.
Distribution and status
Found on Kangaroo Island, southern Mount Lofty Ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in in moist areas around swamps, rivers, lakes or dams often found growing in muddy or grassy areas after water has receded Also found in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Rare in Tasmania and New South Wales. Common in Victoria.
Herbarium regions: Murray, Southern Lofty, South Eastern, Green Adelaide
NRM regions: South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Perennial or annual glabrous herbs with stems and branches usually in clumps, to 10 cm long. Leaves dense, narrow-linear, to 4 mm long. Flowers white, solitary and axillary. Flowering between October and December. Fruits are brown ovoid capsule. Seeds are dark brown reniform seed to 1 mm long and 0.8 mm wide, covered in dense wrinkles or net-like surface. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between December and February. Collect capsules that are maturing, fat and turning brown and contain hard dark seeds. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand or with a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Seeds should be hard and brown. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSB | 14,000 (0.51 g) | 50+ | 4-Jan-2007 | RJB70960 Southern Lofty |
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.