Japanese name: ケツルノゲイトウ Scientific name:Alternanthera paronychioides
[Overview]
A perennial.
The stems creep along the ground and branch, and the internodes are densely covered with stiff bristles.
Leaves are simple and opposite, oblanceolate to spatulate, 1.5–2 cm long and 0.3–0.5 cm wide, and entire.
The underside of the leaves has stiff bristles.
The flowers are white and 5-petaled, borne in ovoid to globose clusters in the leaf axils; the inflorescence is stalkless and often has hairs at the base.
The tepals are ovate-elliptic and membranous, with hairs along the midrib on the back.
There are 5 stamens, and the anthers are yellow and elliptic.
The staminodes are about half the length of the stamens and have 3–4 teeth.
The fruit is a utricle.
[History]
It has become naturalized in Okinawa and is often confused with Maruba-tsurunogeito.
