Carpetweed

Mollugo verticillata

Weed Description
A late-germinating, much-branched summer annual forming circular patches several feet in diameter.

Seedlings
Hypocotyl is short, green early turning brown with time. Cotyledons are oblong, thickened, smooth and 1.5 to 3.0 mm long.

Leaves
Smooth, in whorls of 3-8 at each node. Leaves are sessile, 1 to 3 cm long, widest above the middle and tapering to the base (oblanceolate).

Stems
Smooth and much-branched, lying on the ground with tips ascending (decumbent). Stems are green and 5 to 30 cm long.

Flowers
In clusters of 2 to 5 with slender 5-15 mm long stalks. Each flower is small (4-5 mm wide), and white in color.

Fruit
A small (1.5-4 mm long) three-parted, egg-shaped capsule containing small orange to red seeds.

Roots
Small, branched taproot.

Identifying Characteristics
Whorls of leaves at each stem node in addition to the circular, light green, mat-like growth.