Scleranthus annuus

Lax, procumbent, annual with non-woody base. Stems to 13 cm long, hirsute with apparently multicellular hairs denser towards base. Leaves (4–)5–10(–14) mm long, 0.3–0.7(–1) mm wide, thickened, inrolled, basally hirsute, otherwise glabrous; apex acute; margin very narrow, scarious. Inflorescence a sessile cluster of many shortly pedicellate flowers; bracts basally hirsute; pedicels up to 0.8 mm long increasing to 1.0(–1.3) mm in fruit. Sepals 5, triangular, 1.2–2.2 mm long, 0.5–1.2 mm wide, overlapping at base, margin scarious, midrib keeled; stamens 2–7, enclosed within the calyx, caducous. Fruit distinctly ribbed, 10-nerved, 3.3–4.2 mm long, 0.9–1.8 mm wide. Flowers Oct.–Jan. (outside Victoria).