Cerastium glomeratum Thuill.

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.

Flowering class: Dicot Habit: Herb

Flowering and fruiting: Throughout the year

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-October.

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

Annual herbs, about 5-40 cm tall, stem erect or prostrate, simple or branched from the base and above, glandular pubescent distally or rarely subglabrous, rootstock slender. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate, oblong-oblanceolate to elliptic, about 10-25 x 5-9 mm across, base clasping, margin entire, ciliate, apex obtuse with apiculate tip, pubescent both above and beneath with long white hairs, midrib impressed above and slightly prominent beneath, lateral veins inconspicuous, petiole sessile. Inflorescence usually in terminal, open 3-50 flowered dense cymes. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, pedicel erect or spreading, about 0.5-5 mm long, bracts foliaceous, lanceolate margins clilate, herbaceous, pubescent with eglandular hairs, sepals 5, free, oblanceolate, margin scarious, membranous, apex acuminate, green, sometime reddish tipped, with glandular hairs, about 4-5 x 1-1.5 mm across, petals 5, free, white, margin entire, apex bifid, almost as long as sepals. Stamens usually 10, filaments distinct, anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, nectarines present. Ovary superior, unilocular, ovules many, styles 5, filiform. Fruit capsule, obovoid-cylindric, about 8-11 mm long, margins convolute, exceeding the sepals, opening by 10 short teeth as styles, carpophores absent. Seeds many, ovoid to reniform, about 0.5-0.6 mm across, rough, compressed, pale brown, papillae rugose tuberculate.

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

Notes: Western Ghats, Naturalized, Native of Mediterranean Region

Weed along the roadsides and degraded forest areas in the high ranges

Hill slopes, altitude 1500-3800 m.

Not evaluated (IUCN).

Used in folk medicine.