星粟草 xing su cao

Mollugo hirta Thunberg; M. lotoides (Linnaeus) Kuntze.

Herbs sturdy, densely stellate tomentose. Stems decumbent, 10-40 cm, much branched. Petiole very short; basal leaves in a rosette, drying soon; upper leaves verticillate or opposite, obovate to oblong-spatulate, 6-24 × 5-15 mm, base attenuate, decurrent, margin entire, apex obtuse, rounded, or acute. Flowers several, in groups, sessile or subsessile. Tepals elliptic or oblong, 4-6(-10) mm. Stamens usually 3-15, free. Ovary ovoid, 5-loculed; styles 5, free, linear, short, curved outward. Capsule ovoid, ca. as long as persistent tepals, 5-valved. Seeds numerous, chestnut-brown, reniform, granulose; strophiole scrotiform, ca. 2/3 as long as seed or longer. Fl. and fr. spring-summer. 2n = 36.

Open sands, riversides, cultivated fields, waste places; sea level to 500 m. Hainan, Taiwan, Yunnan [Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka; N and tropical Africa, S to SE Asia, S Europe, tropical America, Oceania].