The Genus
Stellaria L. (Caryophyllaceae) comprises approximately 120 taxa with a cosmopolitan distribution (
Mabberley 1993). Eight taxa of
Stellaria have been recorded in Korea:
S. alsine Grimm var.
undulata (Thunb.) Ohwi,
S. aquatica Scopoli,
S. filicaulis Makino,
S. longifolia Muhlenberg,
S. media (L.) Villars,
S. radians Linne,
S. bungeana Fenzl, and
S. diversiflora Maxim. (
Choi, 2007).
Stellaria sessiliflora was described by Yoshitaka Yabe based on a specimen collected in Tsushima province in Japan on 31, July, 1901 (
Fig. 1) and it was treated as a variety of
S. japonica by Makino (1909).
According to the Flora of Japan (
Satake, 1982;
Akiyama, 2006),
Stellaria sessiliflora occurs on Jeju Island in Korea, as well as in Japan. However, it has never been formally reported or described taxonomically in the Korean botanical literature. Several populations of
S. sessiliflora have been observed from Haean-dong (23 April, 2012), Jeolmul forest, Saryeoni forest (Gyourae-ri), and Halla-eco-forest (Bonggae-dong) at an elevation of 400–600 m on Jeju Island. In addition, we found a photograph of one specimen (Slide No. 6294;
Fig. 2), which was collected on Jeju Island by Ohwi in May, 1935 (
Lee, 2012). The specimen indicates that
S. sessiliflora has occurred on Jeju Island for some time. Recently,
S. sessiliflora has listed in Bio Resource Information Service (BRIS) without a Korean name. The Unique Resource Number 14001191150200-071-00324591 of BRIS was provided by the National Arboretum, which is a dried specimen (KHB14190986) collected by Park et al. on Jeju Island on 16 May 2012. A dried specimen (Unique Resource Number 14003771150100-071-00002407) and seeds (Unique Resource Numbers 14003771110103-071-00110888∼91) collected on 07 May 2013 documented by the Korea Forest Research Institute, though it has not formally described for the Korean flora, these specimens support the view that
S. sessiliflora is distributed in Korea. The morphological characters and the habitat of these specimens observed are consistent with the original description of
S. sessiliflora (
Yabe, 1903).
This species is distinguished from the related
S. media by its broader leaves with slightly undulate margin, its petiolate leaves on the upper part of stem, and its 10 stamens (
Table 1). In addition, as
Ankei (1982) mentioned,
S. sessiliflora grows in shady areas under deciduous broadleaf forest, while
S. media grows in full sun or semi-shade beside roads. The local name ‘Geu-Neul-Byeol-Kkot’ (meaning Shade Chickweed in Korean) was given to
S. sessiliflora based on its distinct habitat requirements.
Taxonomic Treatment
Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 17: 194 (1903).
Stellaria nemorum var. japonica Franch. & Sav., Enum. Pl. Jap. 2: 295 (1879).
Stellaria japonica (Franch. & Sav.) Makino, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 23: 70 (1909).
Stellaria franchetii Honda, Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 43: 541 (1929).
Korean name: Geu-Neul -Byeol-Kkot 그늘별꽃
Herbs perennial, 10–30 cm tall.
Stems usually decumbent, soft hair on a longitudinal line.
Leaves ovate to cordateorbicular, 1–4 cm long, 0.7–2.5 cm wide, apex acute, margin slightly undulate, base rounded to shallowly cordate, pubescent; petiole upper one shorter than middle one, 0.2–1.5 cm long, long-pubescent.
Inflorescence solitary from the axil.
Flowers pedicels 0.2–1.3 cm long, pubescent; sepals elliptic lanceolate, 0.4–0.6 cm, apex acute, 1-nerved, long-pubescent; petals 5, white, deeply bifid; stamens 10; pistils 3.
Fruit a capsule, ovoid-globose, 6-valved.
Seeds obliquely reniform-globose, 0.1–0.12 cm diameter, dark brown, densely mammillate with semi-rounded tubercles. Flowering Apr. to May. Chromosome number 2n = 56 (
Tani, 1981).
Distribution: Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu), Korea (Jeju Island, elevation 400–600 m).
Habitat: Forest edges and wet fields beside streams under the shade or semi-shade of deciduous broadleaf forest.
Examined specimens: KOREA. Jeju-do, Jeju-si: Haeandong, 23 Apr 2012, M.J. Kim (EWH); Jeju-do: Halla-ecoforest, Bongae-dong, 15 Apr 2013, M.J. Kim (EWH); Jeju-do: Haean-dong, 21 Apr 2015, M.J. Kim and N.S. Lee (EWH); Jeju-do: Jeolmul forest, Hoecheon-dong, 5 May 2015, M.J. Kim (EWH); Jeju-do: Jocheon-eup, Seonhweul-ri, 16 May 2012, S.H. Park, S.Y. Jung, S.S. Cheong 14190986 (KHB). JAPAN, Tsushima, Mt. Ontake, 31 Jul. 1901, Y. Yabe 00010544 (TI); Tokyo, Kitaku, Takinogawa, 26 Apr. 1905, T. Makino 00010541 (TI); Gunma, Mt. Tanigawa, 24 Jun 1934, Y. Satake 00010542 (TI); Aichi pref., M. Furuse 00010543 (TI); Nagato guni, Ootseu gun, 27 Oct. 1918, Nikai-Juurou 00010545 (TI).
Stellaria sessiliflora was determined as an unresolved name in the Plant List (2013), but the name was accepted in Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life 2014 (
Roskov et al., 2014). DNA data show that it is clearly separated from other taxa in
Stellaria (
Greenberg and Donoghue, 2011).
Key to Stellaria sessiliflora and the related taxa in Korea
1. Leaves at least lower ones distinctly petiolate; ovate or deltoid-ovate; hairs, if present, simple, unbranched.
1. Leaves sessile or subsessile, hairs branched.
This taxonomic key was modified from the one available in Flora of Japan (
Ohwi, 1984) and The Genera of Vascular Plants of Korea (
Choi, 2007).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was supported by the BK21 Plus Program (Creative Academy of Ecoscience, 31Z20130012990) funded by the Ministry of Education and National Research Foundation of Korea. We thank Dr. Stephan Gale of Kadoori Farm and Botanical Garden Hong Kong for the correction of our manuscript, Ms. Akiko Shimizu of the Herbarium of the University of Tokyo and S.Y. Jung of the Korea National Arboretum for the image specimens of Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe.
Fig. 1.
Type specimen of Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe in TI.
Fig. 2.
Photograpth of specimen (Slide No. 6294) of
Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe (
Lee, 2012).
Fig. 3.
Voucher specimen of Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe in EWH.
Fig. 4.
Photographs of Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe taken by M.J. Kim in Jeju Island on 23 April 2012. A. Flower and Leaves; B. Lateral view of flower; C. Capsule.
Fig. 5.
Illustrations of Stellaria sessiliflora Y. Yabe A. Leaf; B. Stem and Petiole; C. Flower; D. Petal; E. Fruit; F. Matured pistil; G. Seed; H. Plant habit.
Table 1.
The morphological comparison between
Stellaria sessiliflora and
S. media based on the descriptions of Japanese Flora (
Ohwi, 1984).
Characters |
Taxa |
|
S. sessiliflora
|
S. media
|
Plant duration |
perennial |
biennial or annual |
Habitat |
forest |
roadside |
Exposure |
shaded |
full or half exposed |
Stem |
ascending to decumbent |
decumbent |
Petiole of upper leaf |
distinct |
sessile |
Leaf shape |
ovate to cordate-orbicular |
ovate |
Leaf size (L. × W.) (cm) |
1–4 × 0.7–2.5 |
1–2 × 0.8–1.5 |
Leaf apex |
acuminate |
acute |
Leaf margin |
slightly undulated |
entire |
Leaf base |
rounded to shallowly cordate |
rounded to obtuse |
Sepal shape |
lanceolate |
narrowly oblong |
Seed shape |
reniform-globose |
slightly flattened globular |
Seed tubercles |
semi-rounded |
obtuse |
Literature Cited
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