The photo shows carpetweed growing as a prostrate, mat-forming annual.

Carpetweed – Mullogo verticillata

Mollugo verticillata L.

Molluginaceae (Carpetweed family)

MI Status

Non-native

Life cycle

Prostrate, mat-forming summer annual.

Leaves

Whorled, smooth, light green leaves (up to eight per node) are spatula-shaped to oblong with a rounded tip and tapered at the base.

Stems

Smooth, prostrate stems with prolific branches form light green, circular mats.

Flowers and fruit

Small, white to greenish white flowers on slender stalks occur in clusters of up to five in the leaf axils. Fruits are small, three-parted, egg-shaped capsules that contain orange-red to orange-brown, glossy, kidney-shaped seeds.

Reproduction

Seeds.

The photo shows carpetweed growing as a prostrate, mat-forming annual.
Carpetweed plant
Carpetweed seedling that develops as a small flatted basal rosette.
Carpetweed seedling
Carpetweed flowers and fruit. Flowers are in clusters of two to five in the leaf axils. They are white or greenish white.
Carpetweed flowers and fruit
Carpetweed flower that is white to greenish white. It is four to five millimeters across.
Carpetweed flower

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Tag List
  • msu plant & pest diagnostics,
  • summer annual,
  • weed

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