Mollugo verticillata aka Indian Chickweed

Mollugo verticillata is a small annual in the Molluginaceae family. Its common names include carpetweed and Indian chickweed. Kew lists its native range as the Americas and southwestern Africa. The African range runs from Angola to the Cape region. It grows across much of North, Central, and South America. It is not native to Britain or Ireland. It occurs in both warm and temperate regions.

This plant grows fast and forms low, dense mats. Plants reach about 0.4–0.5 feet [0.13–0.15 metres] high. Slender stems may reach 0.66 feet [0.20 metres] long. Their form ranges from upright to flat along the ground. A central taproot has few branches. Green stems branch at the nodes and have no hairs. They can be round or angular in cross-section. The dull green leaves feel fleshy and have smooth edges. Groups of three to eight leaves ring the stem nodes. The narrow leaves may widen toward their tips.

Small flowers open from midsummer into fall, for about two months. Groups of two to five grow in the leaf axils. Each flower has five sepals but no true petals. The sepals look white or greenish-white above and green below. Some bear faint green lines, and the flowers lack scent. Bees and flies visit for nectar and pollen. The plant can also pollinate itself. Egg-shaped capsules split into three parts and hold up to 35 seeds. These tiny, shiny seeds are reddish brown and kidney-shaped. Birds and small mammals eat them.

Carpetweed grows best in full sun and well-drained sandy soil. It also tolerates some shade, loam, and clay. It accepts acid, neutral, and alkaline soils. Sites may range from dry to moist. Sustained growth needs moisture, despite its short life cycle in dry places. Seeds sprout in warm soil during late spring. Plants can set seed within 30–45 days after rain. NC State lists USDA zones 2–11 for this summer annual.

It grows in gardens, fields, roadsides, and sandy riverbanks. It favors bare ground and competes poorly beneath taller plants. Yet it reseeds fast and can spread over nearby plants. Pulling or hoeing before flowering helps limit seed spread. NC State reports no known insect pests or diseases. People cook the leaves or whole plant as greens. Its food value is rated low. Sources report poultice and demulcent uses, but no known hazards.