Annual or short-lived perennial; tap root; spreads across ground and forms small patches; stems flat on ground to erect; branched; without hairs; fleshy. Conspicuous white hair or hair-like outgrowths present at the nodes and in the flower heads.
Stems trailing, erect to ascending, often branched from the base, 1 to 4 inches tall; leaf axils, flower stems hairy with long white hairs; leaves narrow, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, reddish, almost round in cross-section; flowers dark pink to purple.
Habitat
Dry soils, beaches, disturbed habitats, roadsides and railroads on limestone, granitic, and sandstone outcrops.
Flower Characteristics
Stems hairy at nodes; 5 to 7 petals; oval, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long and to 18 inch wide; 5 to 12 stamens; 3 to 5 stigmas.
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaves alternate or congested towards the tips of the stems; 6 to 9 leaves rolled inward; leaf blades linear to lance-like; fleshy; hairy; 1/4 to 3/4 inch long and to 1/8 inch wide.
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Capsules egg-shaped, 1/16 to 1/3 inch diameter.
Many small, shiny, black seeds, circular less than 1/16 inch in diameter.