Erect to ascending annual to c. 20 cm high, often rooting from lower nodes; stems 1–several, sparsely pilose with short glandular hairs. Leaves c. oblong, narrow-elliptic or spathulate, mostly 3–22 mm long and 0.5–5 mm wide, apex obtuse, base attenuate, margins entire or shallowly few-toothed; petiole obscure. Flowers solitary in the axils of leaf-like bracts; pedicels 2–3 mm long in fruit. Calyx-lobes 2.5–6.5 mm long and 0.5–1.2 mm wide in fruit, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pilose; corolla c. 1.5 mm long, pale lavender or white. Capsule oblong, 2.4–4 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, apex truncate or shallowly notched, glabrous or sparsely glandular-pilose; style minute (to 0.2 mm long). Flowers spring.
LoM, MuM, Wim, GleP, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, GipP, Gold, CVU, NIS, WPro, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT, VAlp. Also SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas. Widespread but scattered weed, principally around lakes, dams and in seasonally wet depressions and floodplains in the north and north-west of the State, relatively uncommon elsewhere.
