Tropical America, now around the globe
Florida abundance and distribution:
Common turf weed throughout the state.
Prominent in the winter,
shade-tolerant, and fond of moisture
Creeping turf weed with opposite more or less orbicular sessile
or nearly sessile leaves; flowers small, white,
with 5 petals, each of these split to give the impression of 10 petals,
on stalks rising to about a foot tall.
Fruits burr-like due to persistent “Velcro” calyx, sticking to fabric.
Potentially confused species:
Chickweed (Stellaria media) is related and similar but has fuzzy leaves on well
developed petioles. Pony’s foot (Dichondra
caroliniana) has alternate (vs. opposite) more-cordate leaves with deep
basal notches on well developed petioles.
Contributed by: George Rogers