Cerastium papuanum Schltr. ex Mattf.

Perennial herb, very variable, from small to medium-sized, slender, lax or sometimes caespitose, tufted or growing in cushions, up to 60 cm. Stems usually decumbent or prostrate, rarely entirely erect, sometimes purple, terete to slightly quadrangular or winged, young stems rather densely white hairy and sometimes also with glandular hairs in upper part, older stems more sparsely hairy with the hairs often in lines, at last almost glabrous. Leaves densely together or widely spaced, varying in shape, 2-8 by 1-6 mm, with rounded to acutish apex, usually sessile, rather densely long-hairy on both sides when young, later subglabrous on the upper side. Flowers 4-or 5-merous, solitary or in 2-12-flowered, dense or lax dichasia; pedicels much longer than calyx, woolly, sometimes with glandular hairs; bracteoles herbaceous, ± hairy. Sepals ovate, narrowly elliptic or oblong, 2-8 by 1.5-2.5 mm, obtuse or acute, with scarious margin, variously hairy outside, glabrous inside. Petals white to pale green, hairy along margin, emarginate to bifid, 1.5-11 by 0.8-3.5 mm. Stamens 2.5-9 mm, filaments with a gland at the base, anthers oblong. Ovary glabrous, globose to broadly ellipsoid, 1.5-3.5 by 0.7-3 mm, 10-ribbed or crested, styles 4 or 5. Capsule opening with 4 or 5 bifid valves, 4-6 by 1.5-2 mm. Seeds reniform or discoid, rugose, 0.7-1 mm.

A tropical plant. It mostly occurs in the highlands and up to 3950 m altitude.

The plant has been reported as eaten.

It grows wild.