Stellaria media (L.) Vill., Caryophyllaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Reject, score: 25 (Go to the risk assessment).

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: fan lu

English: chick weed, common chickweed, satin-flower, starwort, stitchwort

French: morgéline, mouron des oiseaux, stellaire intermédiaire

Japanese: hakobe, kohakobe

Spanish: bocado de gallina, borrisol, morrons, pamplina, pararera, picagallina, quilloi quilloi, revola, yerba gallinera

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Slender annual or perennial herbs; stems trailing, matted, or weakly ascending, 1-8 dm long, pubescent in lines.  Leaves ovate to elliptic, (0.5-) 1-3 (-4) cm long, (0.3-) 0.8-1.5 (-2) cm wide, base rounded to cuneate, petioles 0-2 cm long, often ciliate.  Pedicels ascending to recurved; sepals 3.5-6 mm long, villous, apex obtuse to acute; petals slightly shorter than the sepals, 2-cleft, or sometimes absent; stamens 3-10.  Capsules ovoid, 3.5-7 mm long.  Seeds reddish brown, suborbicular, 1-1.1 mm long, papillose"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 526-528).

Habitat/ecology:  "Found in cultivated fields, pastures, gardens, shady lawns, roadsides, and neglected lands.  Because it prefers cool, moist, shady places, it thrives in orchards, nurseries of all kinds, vineyards, and under shrubs and trees.  [It] will grow on a very wide range of soils, but it prefers a neutral pH and does not like acid conditions.  It makes a very luxuriant growth when nitrogen is plentiful" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 452). In Hawai‘i, "naturalized primarily in mesic sites, 50-3,950 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 526-528).  "In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:  Low altitude, interior valleys; coastal mountains, 500-2000 m; coastal areas, 0-500 m.  Humid areas, with almost constant rainfall, short dry periods are possible (generally not longer than 1 month); somewhat dry areas where the drought may last 3-5 months, precipitations of 400-800 mm. are concentrated in winter.  Fully exposed to the sun, level areas or slopes facing north; some shadow, some protection against direct sunlight, some shadow from vegetation, filtering about 20-40% of light"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Eurasia, widely naturalized" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 526-528).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 206)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 19) "A common weed of cultivated and disturbed soil". Vouchers cited: A.N. Rodd 1479 (K, NSW), G. Uhe 1260 (K)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 8) "A common weed of cultivated and disturbed soil". Vouchers cited: G. Uhe 1112 (K), P.S. Green 2398 (K)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 217)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 558)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 217)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 558)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Morro El Verdugo	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 558)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kure Atoll	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kure Atoll	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2001) (p. 17) Uncommon around quarters and edge of runway.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528) Voucher cited: Munro 488 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2010) (p. 34) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H90813 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 526-528)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
New Caledonia Récifs D'Entrecasteaux (D'Entrecasteaux Reefs)	Île Huon	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 28) Voucher cited: Denizot s.n.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 28) Vouchers cited: Pancher s.n. (1862), MacKee 4968, MacKee 40671
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 28) Vouchers cited: Baumann 13920, MacKee 33819
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced invasive	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 138) In waste places, altitude 1,500 to 2,300 m. Unquestionable a recently introduced plant.
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced	St. John, H. (1987) (p. 33)
Pitcairn Islands Pitcairn Islands	Pitcairn Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2003) (p. 26) Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 010520-2 (BISH)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Fields".
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Li-ying, Li/Ren, Wang/Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 174)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 82)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 182)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 508) "Grassland, waste land, roadsides, coastal sandy sites, damp sites, cultivated land, disturbed stony sites, riverbeds".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Belov, Michail (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Li-ying, Li/Ren, Wang/Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 174)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013) Envahissant principalement dans les milieux perturbés.
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 452)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Stellaria media, please let us know.