Spergella decumbens Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carolina 1: 523. 1821

Plants annual, glabrous or glan-dular-pubescent. Stems ascending or decumbent, frequently purple tinged, few- to many-branched, filiform. Leaves: axillary fascicles absent; basal rosette quickly de-ciduous; proximal cauline leaves connate basally, not appearing inflated, blade frequently purple tinged, linear, 4-23 mm, not fleshy, base never ciliate, margins conspicuously hyaline basally, apex apiculate, glabrous, distal blades becoming subulate and shorter toward apex, 1-5 mm, apex apiculate, glabrous. Pedicels filiform, glabrous or glandular-pubescent. Flowers terminal or often axillary, 5-merous, rarely 4-merous and then apetalous; calyx base glabrous or glandular-pubescent, often sparsely so; sepals ovate to orbiculate, (1-)1.5-2(-3) mm, hyaline margins conspicuous, margins or apex frequently purple, apex acute to rounded, glabrous or glandular-pubescent at calyx base, remaining appressed to capsule; petals elliptic, (1-)1.5-2(-2.3) mm, slightly longer than sepals at anthesis, equaling or shorter than sepals during capsule development; stamens 5 or 10, occasionally 8. Capsules 2-3(-3.5) mm, longer than sepals, dehiscing to 2 capsule length or less. Seeds light tan to light brown, obliquely triangular with abaxial groove, (0.2-)0.3-1.4 mm, smooth or pebbled to strongly tuberculate, protrusions sometimes borne on delicate ridges, ridges forming reticulate pattern (50-80×).

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora): North America (including n Mexico).