''Cerastium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of annual, winter annual, or

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s belonging to the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...

. They are commonly called mouse-ear chickweed. Species are found nearly worldwide but the greatest concentration is in the northern temperate regions. There are about 200 species. A number are common weeds in fields and on disturbed ground. Cerastium uniflorum

''Cerastium'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including '' Coleophora chalcogrammella'' (which feeds exclusively on ''

Cerastium arvense ''Cerastium arvense'' is a species of flowering plant in the Caryophyllaceae, pink family known by the common names field mouse-ear and field chickweed. It is a widespread species, occurring throughout Europe and North America, as well as parts o ...

'') and ''

Coleophora striatipennella ''Coleophora striatipennella'' is a moth of the family Coleophoridae that is found in Europe and Near East. It has been introduced to New Zealand. The wingspan of . ''Coleophora'' species have narrow blunt to pointed forewings and a weakly defin ...

'' (which has been recorded on ''

Cerastium fontanum ''Cerastium fontanum'', also called mouse-ear chickweed, common mouse-ear, or starweed, is a species of mat-forming perennial or, rarely, annual plant. It is native to Europe but introduced elsewhere. Its identifying characteristics are tear-sh ...

'').

Selected species

*'' Cerastium aleuticum'' – Aleutian chickweed *''

Cerastium alpinum ''Cerastium alpinum'', commonly called alpine mouse-ear or alpine chickweed, is a mat-forming perennial plant. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his enn ...

'' – alpine chickweed *'' Cerastium arcticum'' – arctic mouse-ear chickweed *''

'' – field chickweed *''

Cerastium axillare ''Cerastium'' is a genus of annual, winter annual, or perennial plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. They are commonly called mouse-ear chickweed. Species are found nearly worldwide but the greatest concentration is in the northern tem ...

'' – Trans-Pecos chickweed *'' Cerastium beeringinanum'' – Bering chickweed *''

Cerastium bialynickii ''Cerastium'' is a genus of annual, winter annual, or perennial plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. They are commonly called mouse-ear chickweed. Species are found nearly worldwide but the greatest concentration is in the northern tem ...

'' *'' Cerastium biebersteinii'' – boreal chickweed *'' Cerastium brachypetalum'' – gray chickweed *'' Cerastium brachypodum'' – shortstalk chickweed *'' Cerastium cerastoides'' – mountain chickweed *'' Cerastium dichotomum'' – forked chickweed *''

Cerastium diffusum ''Cerastium diffusum'', the fourstamen chickweed or sea mouse-ear, is a species of flowering plant in the pink and carnation family Caryophyllaceae. It is an annual herb, to 30 cm.high, occurring in western Europe and northern Africa. Found ...

'' – fourstamen chickweed *'' Cerastium dubium'' – doubtful chickweed *'' Cerastium fischerianum'' – Fischer's chickweed *''

'' – common mouse-ear chickweed *'' Cerastium furcatum'' – Korean mouse-ear chickweed *'' Cerastium glomeratum'' – sticky chickweed *''

Cerastium gorodkovianum ''Cerastium'' is a genus of annual, winter annual, or perennial plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. They are commonly called mouse-ear chickweed. Species are found nearly worldwide but the greatest concentration is in the northern tem ...

'' – tundra chickweed *'' Cerastium gracile'' – slender chickweed *'' Cerastium maximum'' – great chickweed *''

Cerastium nigrescens ''Cerastium nigrescens'', commonly known as the Shetland mouse-ear, Shetland mouse-eared chickweed or Edmondston's chickweed, is an endemic flowering plant found in Shetland, Scotland. It was first recorded in 1837 by botanist Thomas Edmonds ...

'' – Shetland mouse-ear chickweed *''

Cerastium nutans ''Cerastium'' is a genus of annual, winter annual, or perennial plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. They are commonly called mouse-ear chickweed. Species are found nearly worldwide but the greatest concentration is in the northern tem ...

'' – nodding chickweed *'' Cerastium pumilum'' – European chickweed *'' Cerastium regelii'' – Regel's chickweed *'' Cerastium semidecandrum'' – five-stamen chickweed *'' Cerastium sordidum'' – Chihuahuan chickweed *'' Cerastium subtriflorum'' – Slovenian mouse-ear chickweed *''

Cerastium sventenii ''Cerastium sventenii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is endemic to the Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community a ...

'' *''

Cerastium sylvaticum ''Cerastium sylvaticum'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Ca ...

'' *'' Cerastium terrae-novae'' – Newfoundland mouse-ear chickweed *'' Cerastium texanum'' – Texas chickweed *'' Cerastium tomentosum'' – snow in summer *''

Cerastium utriense ''Cerastium utriense'' is a species of perennial flowering plant in the genus ''Cerastium'', belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. It was first described in 1988.Barberis G. 1988''Cerastium utriense'' sp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae) nell'Appennino ...

References

External links

USDA Plants Profile: ''Cerastium''
Caryophyllaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Caryophyllaceae-stub