Bot. [mod.L. stellāria (1517 in Diefenbach; the present application is due to Linnæus 1753), f. L. stella star: see -ARY.] A genus of caryophyllaceous plants, of which several species (known as ‘chickweed,’ ‘stitchwort,’ ‘starwort,’ etc.) are common in Great Britain and the U.S.; also, a plant of this genus.
1785. Martyn, Lett. Bot., xix. (1794), 273. Arenaria and Stellaria have a capsule of one cell.
1806. Med. Jrnl., XV. 264. Common chickweed…. This species of stellaria is a notable instance of what is called the sleep of plants.
1863. Life in South, II. 229. Flights of pigeons were whirling over head, violets and stellarias were sprouting beneath the feet, and such was the January of Savannah.
