Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.
Common Name : Sessile joyweed
Family : Amaranthaceae

HABIT |
A PROSTRATE OR PROCUMBENT, ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL HERB. |
STEMS |
THE STEMS ARE GENERALLY PROSTRATE, 0.2-1 M HIGH, WITH STRONG CREEPING TAP ROOTS, OFTEN ROOTING AT THE NODES, SOMETIMES FLOATING, CREEPING OR ASCENDING AT THE TIPS, CYLINDRICAL AND SLIGHTLY HAIRY, WITH NUMEROUS ERECT BRANCHES. |
LEAVES |
SIMPLE, OPPOSITE, SHORTLY PETIOLATE OR SESSILE, BROADLY LANCEOLATE OR SPATULATE TO ALMOST LINEAR, 0.6-5 CM LONG, AND 0.3-1 CM WIDE. THEY ARE ATTENUATED AT THE BASE, AND THE APEX IS ACUTE TO BLUNT, WITH ENTIRE, GLABROUS OR PILOSE MARGINS. |
FLOWERS |
FLOWERS INCONSPICUOUS, WHITE, BORNE IN SMALL, AXILLARY, DENSE, SESSILE, SILVERY-WHITE CLUSTERS OF COMPRESSED SPIKES. |
FRUITS |
UTRICLE CORDIFORM AND STRONGLY COMPRESSED. |
SEEDS |
DARK-BROWN TO BLACK, DISC-SHAPED AND SHINY, ABOUT 0.8-1 MM IN DIAMETER. |