Chile Nailwort - introduced (*Paroynchia franciscana)

Family: Caryophyllaceae (Chickweed & Carnation family).

Native of Chile.

Occurrence: An uncommon weed of waste areas.

Identification:

• it is a prostrate perennial with branched stems
• the leaves are small, stalkless and crowded
• the petals are absent
• the sepals are greyish, and have a slender erect awn.