Where found:

• Native of South America.
  
• In New Zealand it is called Onehunga weed after the Auckland suburb where it was first noticed.
  
• Found in dry places, especially lawns, playing fields, golf courses, thin pastures.
  

• An annual, prostrate (growing close to the ground), green,plant which tends to grow in patches up to 400 mm across. The leaves are tiny, feathery and sometimes hairy and grow on small branches from a central rosette.
  
• The flowers are green, 4-10 mm in diameter and inconspicuous).
  
• The seeds are oval and flat and have a spine or prickle about 2.5 mm long. The seeds are well known for sticking into people's bare feet on lawns and sports grounds. This is also a means of spreading the plant to different locations. The prickly seeds will also spread by sticking into rubber tyres. The seeds mostly germinate in autumn.