Mollugo verticillata L.

Carpetweed, green carpetweed, Indian chickweed

Small and easily overlooked, green carpet­weed is a common native plant in eastern North America. I have noticed it only twice, once in my driveway in MA, and again in my driveway, after moving to Maine.

Plants: Plants form prostrate, roughly circular mats up to 5″ (12 cm) high in disturbed areas where other plants are not yet established.

Leaves: Initially a small, basal rosette of obovate or spatulate leaves. As it spreads, it produces whorls of three to eight sessile, lanceolate leaves at each node. Leaves are ⅜–1″ (1–3 cm) long, and hairless, with entire margins.

Flowers: Flowers are ⅛–¼″ (3.2–6.3 mm) around, white or greenish white, with five petals, appearing on pedicels ⅛–½″ (5–15 mm) long. (Technically the petals are sepals—the petals are either absent or nearly invisi­ble.) There are three to five white stamens surrounding the central ovary. Flowers appear in clusters of two to six. They appear from July to September.

Fruits: Egg-shaped, 1/32–⅛″ (1.5–4 mm) long, with three valves, dyring to open and containing seeds that are 1/32″ (0.5 mm) long and orange red to rusty brown in color.

Habitats: Disturbed habitats, such as fields, roadsides, and gardens. Can be invasive.

Edibility: Foliage is edible when cooked, but has little nutritional value.

Online References:

Older scientific or horticultural names

Mollugo verticillata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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