Stellaria
Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous to densely hairy. Leaves opposite, usually with a continuous gradation of stem leaves to inflorescence leaves ('bracts'), margin entire, toothed or ciliate; stipules absent. Flowers bisexual, in spreading dichasia, monochasia and partial monochasia, or solitary; sepals 5, free; petals 3–5 or absent, white, usually deeply bifid; stamens 1–10; ovary 1-locular; styles 3. Capsule narrowly ovoid or ovoid to ellipsoid, splitting almost to base into 6 valves; seeds 2–numerous, flattened dorsally, oblong, orbicular, discoid, elliptic, rarely reniform, tuberculate.
About 120 species, almost cosmopolitan; 10 species in Australia (3 introduced).
Miller, C.H.; West, J.G. (1996). Stellaria. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 233–240. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
SpinningMiller, C.H.; West, J.G. (2012). A revision of the genus Stellaria (Caryophyllaceae) in Australia. Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens 25: 27–54.
