Common name: Rough buttonweed.
Rough buttonweed is native to Central America and is an annual. It is mostly a prostrate plant forming mats on floor. Although some parts of the plant may be growing upright. The stem is reddish , square in cross section with scattered long white hairs. The simple sessile leafs are arranged in an opposite manner, the leafs have a rough feel and the leaf margins are minutely serrate. The leafs are narrow elliptic-lanceolate and measure around 2.5 to 3 cm in length. At the leaf nodes long reddish hairs are seen. The inflorescences is axillary, 1-4 flowers stalk-less flowers arranged in a bunch. The purple flowers are tubular, bisexual, funnel shaped, guarded by 6 sepals. The corolla tube is about 4 mm long. The flower enclosers 4 stamens and a capitate two-lobed stigma. The fruit is in the form of a nutlet enclosed in persistent calyx elements. This plant was recently reported from coastal Kerala. It is now increasingly reported from many other locations. Looks like a recent addition to the list of introduced plants in India. Prefers dry sandy type of soil.
