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May 27, 2012
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Southeastern, New Hampshire
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I found giant chickweed growing next to a corn field. Given the species name,
aquaticum, I would have expected to find it near water. On the other hand,
perhaps it is getting some water for the watering of the corn field. So, I went through
the whole Caryophyllaceae (Pink) family to see if it could be anything else:
- Sepals distinct or essentially so (not connate at base).
- Leaves without stipules. I was unsure if the pictures showed stipules or
something else growing out of the leaf base, so I followed the key in both
directions. If those were stipules, then the key led me to the Sand Spurry genus
(Spergularia) and I know this is not a Sand Spurry.
- Flower is hypogynus -- superior ovary without a hypanthium (cup-like tissue from
fusion of basal portion of sepals, petals and stamens).
- Both sepals and petals are present.
- Petals are deeply notched.
- 4 or 5 styles.
- Leaf blades 10-40 mm wide.
The simple way to identify it might be that it was 5 deeply-notched white petals
with 5 styles and very big opposite leaves. The plants were growing in the sun, so
I picked one plant to carry to a spot with some shade for better pictures.
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