Japan Flora: Juicy, soft annual without rosulate leaves; stem 10-30 cm. long, decumbent and branching below, with a puberulent longitudinal stripe on one side; leaves lanceolate, more or less spreading, flat to slightly folded, gradually attenuate above to a rather obtuse apex, usually gla­brous, the sheaths 5-10 mm. long, coarsely pubescent in front; flower usually solitary, axillary, the peduncles 1.5-3 cm. long, usually with a linear bract sometimes bearing an additional flower in the axil, recurved in fruit; sepals lanceolate, acute; petals pink, slightly longer than the calyx; stamens 3, the fila­ments bearded at base; staminodes 3; capsule 10 mm. long, with several seeds in each locule.  Sept.-Oct. Common in wet places.

Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu. China, Ryukyus, and e. N. America.