The
photo at right shows the upper stem and inflorescence of jagged chickweed as seen
atop the Columbia Hills in the eastern Columbia River Gorge.........May
1, 2005. Note the long pedicels and the gland-tipped hairs on the upper stem as
well as the cluster of involucral bracts at the base of the inflorescence.
Jagged chickweed is an annual or winter annual weed with a cluster of basal leaves with one to several erect or ascending stems, either simple or branched at the base, arising 5-20 cm high. The leaves are mainly basal. They are lanceolate to oblong in outline, measuring 10-20 mm long with short petioles. Two to three pairs of ovlong to ovate-lanceolate leaves are found on the lower third of the stem. These are sessile with blades from 10-35 mm long. The stems and leaves are generally covered with gland-tipped hairs.
The inflorescence is a terminal umbel-like cyme of 4-16 flowers. The slender pedicels are 2-3 cm long. The 5 sepals are about 3 mm long while the 5 white petals extend slightly past the sepals. The petals have jagged or tattered edges.
A weedy species, jagged chickweed may be found in disturbed areas and waste areas, and is especially abundant in the grain fields and range areas to the east of the Cascades.
Native to Eurasia, jagged chickweed may be found across much of North America. In the Pacific Northwest it may be found from along the Snake and Columbia Rivers of eastern Washington, northeastern Oregon and western Idaho.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-3000' from the White Salmon River to east of Biggs, OR.