POORJOE, Diodia teres
Walt. 1, plant; 2, section of stem showing flower, leaves,
and young pods; 3, seed. Annual. Roots shallow, slender,
taprooted. Stems hairy, branching, moderately erect, 8 to 24 inches
(20 to 60 cm) long. Leaves narrow, tapering to long point, edges
smooth, opposite, without petioles; fastened in pairs directly to joints
of stem, together with long bristles. Flowers small, whitish-pink
to lavender, at base of leaves. Seed pods hairy, with 4 short,
green calyx teeth at the top; splitting, when ripe, into 2 parts. Seeds
hairy, oval, light brown, 1/8 inch (3 mm) long, inner surface indented
with a forked groove. Found in abandoned fields and along roadsides.
Also known as rough buttonweed.