Herbs, annual, 20(-30) cm tall. Root fibrous, 2-3 mm, usually single. Stems many from base, prostrate or ascending, 1-3 mm thick, often red or pinkish red, glabrous or pilose. Leaves opposite; stipules membranous, deeply divided into often threadlike lobes, to 1.5 mm, caducous; petiole 1-2 mm; leaf blade oblong or elliptic, 5-10 × 3-6 mm, adaxially green, abaxially light green, sometimes light red, both surfaces glabrous or pilose, base obliquely truncate, margin finely serrulate above middle, apex obtuse. Cyathia single, axillary, peduncle 1-3 mm; involucre turbinate, ca. 1 × 1 mm, marginal lobes 4, triangular; glands 4, oblong, appendages white or pink-red. Male flowers many, as high as cup. Female flower: ovary 3-angular-ovoid, smooth and glabrous; styles free, persistent; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule 3-angular-ovoid-globose, ca. 2 × 2.2 mm, smooth. Seeds 3-angular-ovoid-globose, ca. 1.3 × 0.9 mm, gray, each side smooth; caruncle absent. Fl. and fr. May-Oct. 2n = 22*.
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A low herb. It spreads over the ground and is 15-20 cm across. The small branches are slender. The leaves are opposite and small. They do not have leaf stalks. They are 5-10 mm long by 4-6 mm wide. The base is oblique. There are teeth along the edge. The leaves are green and tinged purplish-red. The flowers are small and red. The fruit capsules are almost round and the seeds are 3 sided.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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