annual; stems radiately spreading on the ground, 2–8 in. long, with alternate branches, usually slightly flattened from above, puberulous on the upper side, at least along a middle line, with minute curved hairs, glabrous on the underside; leaves opposite, shortly petiolate, 1 1/2–3 1/2 lin. long, 1/2–2 lin. broad, oblong to elliptic or slightly oblong-obovate, obtuse or rounded at the apex, distinctly or obscurely toothed, sometimes ciliate, glabrous on both sides or with a few scattered hairs beneath, chiefly near the apex; stipules on the upper side of the stem usually free and on the under side united into a deltoid-ovate body, toothed at the apex; inflorescence of short axillary leafy raceme-like branches, with 1 axillary involucre to each pair of leaves or sometimes reduced to a cluster of 2–3 involucres on a short peduncle with 2–3 pairs of minute spathulate leaves; peduncles 1/3–1 lin. long, glabrous; involucre 1/4– 1/3 lin. long, campanulate, glabrous or very thinly pubescent, with 4 glands and 5 lobes; glands minute, with the appendage just exceeding their margin or obsolete; capsule 1/2– 2/3 lin. in diam., pubescent with spreading hairs along the somewhat acute angles, glabrous on the sides; styles minute, bifid; seeds 1/2 lin. long, 4-angled, transversely wrinkled, pale reddish. null
