FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Cerastium alpinum, alpine mouse-ear

Cerastium alpinum; The alpine mouse-ear is common both in lowlands and highlands. Thus, it can be found in all parts of Iceland. It can be found on drier soils, especially gravelly soils. C. alpina is one of many mouse-ear species. Common on Iceland are also C. fontanum: the "common mouse-ear" (which has smaller petals, barely longer than the sepals), C. arcticum: the arctic mouse-ear (very similar to C. alpina but brighter green, found only in highlands) and C. cerastoides the starwort mouse-ear ( trailing stems, found in moist soils along creeks etc.). Less common to rare mouse-ear species are C. glomeratum and C. glabratum.
It is a member of the Pink family (Caryophyllaceae).

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