COMMON CHICKWEED, Stellaria
media (L.) Cyrillo. 1, plant in flower; 2, flower; 3,
seed pod; 4, seed. Winter annual or annual,
reproducing by seed and creeping stems, rooting at the nodes. Root
system fibrous, shallow. Stem is much branched, creeping or ascending,
resulting in low spreading plant 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30 cm) high. Leaves
small, opposite, simple, broadly ovate, pointed at the tips, smooth; petioles
have a line of hairs on one side. Flowers small, white, with 5 deeply
notched petals. Seed pod cylindrical, breaking into 5 segments
at maturity, containing many seeds. Seed small, dull reddish-brown,
somewhat heart-shaped but nearly round, roughened by curved rows of minute
tubercules. Found in lawns, gardens, alfalfa, strawberry beds, nurseries.