Prostrate or ascending annual; stems fine, to c. 12 cm long, usually glabrous or with a few small retrorse prickles. Leaves and stipules subsessile, c. equal, in whorls of 3–6, oblanceolate or obovate below, linear-elliptic above, 3–10 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, acute and mucronate, upper surface glabrous or with a few scattered bristles, margins with tiny antrorse bristles. Inflorescences mostly 1- or 2-flowered; peduncles c. 0–1 mm long; pedicels c. 1 mm long. Corolla c. 0.8 mm diam., white or yellowish-green. Fruit linear-oblong, 1–1.5 mm long; mericarps cylindric, separate at maturity, with long hooked hairs particularly near apex. Flowers mostly Aug.–Nov.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, MSB, MuF, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGL, EGU, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to Europe. A widespread weed of moist sites.
