Stellaria holostea L., Greater Stitchwort

Account Summary

Growth form and preferred habitats

This wintergreen perennial is most conspicuous from April to June when it flowers following a burst of rapid early spring growth that makes it relatively large (up to 60 cm tall) compared with other typical common hedgerow plants. Other typical habitats include open lightly shaded deciduous woods, scrub, woodland margins, rides and clearings. In Fermanagh, it is most frequently observed along hedgerow and riverside banks and on seldom-mown, rank, grassy roadside verges in the lowlands. It is also well represented on the less fertile, moderately acid to neutral soils in the limestone areas and on the more upland plateau in the west of the county. In these latter areas, it is associated with clearings or with the margins of woods and around scrubby ground. Its slender, grass-like stems and leaves can also be found clambering over rocky outcrops and talus slopes, including block screes at the base of cliffs. Around lakes and on wooded isles it occupies the driest available sloping sites, completely avoiding wetland conditions and situations that are liable to flood.

The opposite, acute, linear-lanceolate, grey-green leaves of this familiar and widespread species are distinctive and recognisable, even when it is not in flower, although it might be easily overlooked when growing amongst tall grassy vegetation later in the season. S. holostea plants develop best in moist and otherwise mesic to infertile soils, but the species can occur over a wide range of soil pH. Plants typically form quite dense patches of ascending stems, which are however, physically weak and brittle and appear therefore to be supported to some extent by the surrounding, competing mass of grasses and other herbs. The ascending stems of S. holostea are not all of the same length, and some do not flower, so that apart from photosynthesis the secondary role of sterile stems may be to help support the taller, flower-bearing stems (Clapham et al. 1987).

The preferred growing conditions appear 'designed' to limit competition, but Greater Stitchwort is generally most conspicuous in springtime towards the top of roadside banks, in obviously well-drained or even rather dry growing conditions, preferably in full sun or marginal to the still developing summer canopy of an overtopping hedge if there is one present (Clapham et al. 1987; Garrard & Streeter 1983; Sinker et al. 1985; Grime et al. 1988).

Potential vegetative reproduction

S. holostea has a slender creeping rootstock that may root at intervals and allow some degree of vegetative spread. The overwintering sharply quadrangular, weak, brittle, aerial shoots are supported by surrounding vegetation until this dies back in winter. When this happens, the rather fragile, wintergreen shoots drop to the soil surface and can sometimes develop adventitious roots, allowing the plant to spread vegetatively and form clonal patches (Grime et al. 1988). A detailed study of the potential for S. holostea vegetative reproduction by this means remains to be made, a fact that throws into focus the paucity of scientific studies in the genus, apart from the huge volume of applied science literature available on the arable weed, S. media (Common Chickweed).

Flowering

Flowering takes place from late March to July although the peak lies between April and June. The inflorescence is large and lax and occupies up to half the length of the shoot. It bears between 3-40 white flowers, but usually around ten of them, in a branched cyme. The flowers are insect-pollinated, with nectar and pollen attracting beetles, butterflies, flies and bees for the purpose. Should flowers fail to attract insect visitors, they resort to selfing, the filaments bending forwards to allow the pollen-filled anthers to touch the three stigmas (Proctor & Yeo 1973, p.55).

Seed dispersal

An average of ten seeds are produced centrally in each green, subglobose, dehiscent, fruit capsule, which is around 9 mm in diameter, about equalling the length of the calyx. The weight of the fruit bends the slender pedicels down towards the ground, and the top of the fruit then opens when ripe by splitting into six valves to release the seeds.

Ridley (1930, p. 522) reported seeds being found in ant nests despite the absence of an attached food reward for the insect. He assumed that the seeds, and those of several other common species found in the big Wood Ant nest (Formica rubra) (eg Luzula campestris (Field Wood-rush) and Hypochaeris radicata (Cat's-ear)), were blown there by the wind. Presumably the seeds are shaken out of the dangling capsule and are wind dispersed. Perhaps also, as in S. media, some ripe capsules may be eaten and the seed transported internally by birds (Ridley 1930, p. 457).

Seed size and survival

The seeds are 1.5-2.0 mm across, reddish-brown, and the seed coat is densely covered in papillae. The seed is at least four times larger and over seven times heavier than that of S. media (Salisbury 1942, p. 27). Freshly shed seed are dormant (Grime et al. 1988), and the soil seed bank is transient, ie seeds survive less than one year (Thompson et al. 1997).

Fermanagh occurrence

S. holostea is widespread and fairly common throughout Fermanagh, having been recorded in 199 tetrads, 37.7% of those in the VC.

British and Irish occurrence

Avoidance of very wet and strongly acid substrates helps explain the rarity or absence of S. holostea from many parts of W Ireland, most notably Connemara and parts of Clare and Kerry. The habitat situation is similar around the English Wash, and also in NW mainland Scotland, the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland (New Atlas).

European and world occurrence

S. holostea is considered native but irregular in occurrence in most of Europe as far north as southern Finland, but it is rare or absent in S & SE parts of the Mediterranean area. The distribution range includes scattered locations in N Africa, and SW and W Central Asia. In Scandinavia, it is regarded as indigenous in the southern part of the region, and occurs most frequently at the coast and at lower altitudes. However, it is also present in parts of Scandinavia as a garden escape, and as a grass-seed alien introduction (Jonsell et al. 2001). S. holostea is listed along with S. media in the Royal Horticultural Society Index of garden plants, S. media being, of course, a notorious weed (Griffiths 1994). S. holostea is introduced, but rare in eastern N America and also in New Zealand, where it has not been seen since 1900 (Hultén & Fries 1986, Map 727; Webb et al. 1988, p. 507).

Uses

In both Britain and Ireland, the conspicuous, white, star-like flowers of S. holostea have been chewed to combat muscular stitches and sharp pain for many years by those who put their faith in the potency and efficacy of the English common name 'Stitchwort' (Allen & Hatfield 2004). The name is said to date back to the 13^th century, so presumably the tradition goes back that far (Grigson 1955). As mentioned above, S. holostea is occasionally chosen as a garden subject. The pure white flowers, if present in large numbers in early summer encouraged by good horticultural soil, would undoubtedly be decorative and might be considered by some to be garden worthy. Having said this, Stitchwort is not mentioned by most garden writers, including Graham Stuart Thomas (2004) in his Perennial garden plants or the Modern Florilegium.

Fossil record

There are a few fossil seed records listed by Godwin (1975), but they are important as they definitely indicate the long-term native presence of the species. It took time for S. holostea pollen to be recognised at species level, and Godwin therefore can only comment on a few localities where the plant has been recorded. Even so, it is clear that the fossil history of the species stretches well back into pre-history and predates the arrival of Neolithic farming in Britain and Ireland.

Names and folklore

The genus name 'Stellaria' is of medieval origin from the Latin 'stella', meaning 'a star', referring to the shape of the five-petalled flower (Gilbert-Carter 1964). The Latin specific epithet 'holostea' is the old generic name of the species, latinised from the Greek meaning 'whole (or 'entire') bone', referring to the fact that it was used in ancient times for healing fractures (Johnson & Smith 1946).

The fact that there are a total of 103 English common names listed by Grigson (1955) indicates how widespread, common and conspicuous this species is throughout most of Britain and Ireland, and how much folklore has accumulated around it. Considering this fact, Grigson comments that

'Stitchwort' clearly was believed to be a plant under protection and somewhat feared by both children and superstitious folk. They considered that it belonged to or was associated with items of fear, such as the devil, piskies (also piskey, or pixies?), Jack-a-Lantern (a lantern-carrying elf or goblin of the ignis fatuus), and to snakes. In complete contrast, people also believed that the plant had properties to banish evil, belonging then, on the other hand, to the Virgin Mary, and associated with Whitsunday and the Star of Bethlehem! There are also rather dubious associations by name with cuckoos, smocks, milkmaids and bachelor's buttons. Some of these latter names may link to the season of flowering, which includes Eastertide and the month of May.

Other names listed by Grigson (1955) are derived from the brittle, easily broken nature of the stems, including 'Brandy Snap', 'Break Jack', 'Dead Man's Bones', 'Jack Snaps', 'Snapcrackers', 'Snapjacks' and 'Snappers'. Children in the past liked to squeeze the fruit capsules to make them pop (Vickery 1995), and the names, 'Pop-guns', 'Pop Jack', 'Poppers' and 'Poppy' obviously refer to this practice.

Threats

None.

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