Cerastium cerastoides (L.) Britton

Cerastium species are annual or perennial herbs, somewhat mat-like, stem erect or prostrate, simple or branched from the base, tomentose or pubescent with white hairs, sometimes glandular, rarely subglabrous, rootstock slender, rhizomatous. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-obovate, base connate, margin entire, apex acute to obtuse, glabrous or pubescent, petiole sessile to subsessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal, open or congested dichotomous cymes, 5-merous or rarely 4-merous. Flowers bisexual rarely unisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel usually erect, sometimes hooked near the apex in fruit, bracts foliaceous, margins scarious or herbaceous, sepals 5, free, margin scarious, membranous, petals 5, free, white, margin entire, apex bifid or emarginated, rarely absent. Stamens usually 10, rarely 4-5 or 8, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, disk hypogynous, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules many, styles 3-5, filiform. Fruit capsule, obovoid-cylindrical, exceeding the sepals, opening by 10 or twice as many short teeth as styles, carpophores absent. Seeds many, ovoid to reniform, rough, compressed, papillae tuberculate.

Cerastium species flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium), including stamens, carpels and ovary; rarely unisexual and pistillate. Pollination is entomophilous i.e., by insects, or cleistogamy i.e., by self or allogamy i.e., by cross pollination. Flowering/Fruiting: July-September.

Seeds may be dispersed by autochory i.e., self dispersal, anemochory i.e., wind dispersal, zoochory i.e., dispersal by birds or animals.

Perennial herbs, about 5-30 cm tall, laxly caespitose or somewhat mat-like, stem ascending or prostrate, simple or branched from the base, glabrous or pubescent with short white hairs, rootstock slender, rhizomatous. Leaves simple, opposite, linear lanceolate to elliptic, about 5-18 x 0.5-2.5 mm across, base clasping, margin slightly curved, apex deeply acute to acuminate, midrib impressed above and slightly prominent beneath, lateral veins inconspicuous, petiole sessile to subsessile. Inflorescence few flowered cymes or rarely solitary. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel slender, recurved at apex in fruit, grandular pubescent, about 1.5-2 cm long, bracts foliaceous, margins scarious or herbaceous, sepals 5, free, linear lanceolate, base truncate, margin membranous, apex acute, 1-veined, about 4-7 mm long, petals 5, free, white, obovate, margin entire, bilobed to quarter of their length, about twice as long as sepals, about 9 mm long. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules many, styles 3, filiform. Fruit capsule, obovoid-cylindric, about 10-12 mm long, slightly curved at apex, exceeding the sepals, 6 toothed, carpophores absent. Seeds many, ovoid to reniform, about 0.5 mm across, rough, compressed, brown, papillae with about 8 rows of tubercles.

Cerastium species are susceptible to various insect pests, viruses, root rots and moulds.

Alpine Himalayan slopes, altitude above 2700 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.