Similar Species: See:Cerastium arvense, Feld Chickweed

Stellaria has 3 styles while Cerastium has 5 styles.

Stellarias include: Common Chickweed (S. media) which is an introduced "weed" often found in lawns and gardens. It is low growing, often reclining and the flowers are very inconspicuous often lacking petals. It is a favored food of birds.
Bog Chickweed (S. alsine) is very similar to above except the leaves have no stems and it is found in wet areas.
Great or Star Chickweed (S. pubera) is a larger plant which may recline or stand to 30cm (12"). The flowers can be 1.25cm (.5") wide. It tends to grow in woods.
Grass-like Starwort or Lesser Stitchwort (S. graminea) and Long leaved Stitchwort S. longifolia have narrow lance shaped leaves the latter reaching 6.5cm (2.5") long. (S. graminea) is non native.

Cerastium include: Mouse ear Chickweed (C. vulgatum) is a non native "weed" found in gardens and lawns. It is hairy with small flowers with petals cleft less than half there length. The sepals are about as long as the petals. The leaves have no stems and can reach 2.5cm (1") long.
Cerastium arvense, Feld Chickweedhas lance shaped stemless leaves and a slightly hairy stem with some basal leaves. The petals are at least twice as long as the sepals and are cleft less than half there length. The flower can be 2cm (.8") wide.

One of the best general guides to wildflowers of the North Eastern and North Central United States. Newcomb's key is an excellent, simple method for identifying plants. Newcomb has drawings for almost every plant mentioned that are excellent aids to identifying the species. Though only the more common plants are covered this is often the first book I pick up when trying to identify a wildflower.

Wildflo wers of Tennessee the Ohio Valley and the Southern Appalachians

This is perhaps the best of many field guides covering this region. Featuring 446 excellent color photographs (located with the text) and mentioning as similar to those illustrated are another 800 or so species for a total coverage of over 1,200 species. The start of each family section includes line drawings of some of the species showing important features. The text includes the usual description, bloom season, range, habitat and additionally includes information such as medical uses and lore and how the species was named. This is the official field guide of the Tennessee Native Plant Society.