Plants annual, gray-green, densely pubescent. Stems prostrate to ascending, 4-20 cm. Leaves opposite proximally, often alternate distally; stipules 0.5-1.3 mm; blade elliptic to oblanceolate, 3-12 mm, hirsute or ciliate, ad-axial surface sometimes glabres-cent. Inflorescences axillary, leaf-opposed or on short branches, mostly 3-8-flowered. Flowers 0.9-1.8 mm, densely pubescent; calyx burlike; sepals equal or somewhat unequal, 0.8-1.5 mm, hirsute, hairs of perigynous zone hooked or tightly coiled, each sepal with 1-2 spinelike hairs at apex; stamens 2-3 or 5; staminodes petaloid, 0.4-0.6 mm; styles distinct or connate in proximal 1/3. Utricles 0.7-0.9 mm, ca. equaling sepals. 2n = 18, 36 (Europe). We are following J. R. Akeroyd (1993) rather than M. N. Chaudhri (1968) in treating Herniaria cinerea as an infraspecific taxon of H. hirsuta. We believe it more appropriate to recognize the differences at varietal level; intermediate conditions found in both European and North American populations weaken the distinctions.

Plant: Annual, ± prostrate, taprooted; stem generally 4-20 cm Leaves: opposite below, alternate above; stipules 0.4-1 mm, ovate to deltate, scarious, ciliate, white; blade 1-13 mm, oblanceolate to obovate; vein 0-1 INFLORESCENCE: cyme, axillary; flowers 3-8, dense, ± sessile Flowers: hypanthium cup-like, not abruptly expanded above; sepals ± equal to unequal, free, lanceolate to oblong, hairy, margin entire, herbaceous; stamens 2-5; styles 2 or 2-branched Fruit: utricle, obovoid, minutely papillate; Seed 1, dark reddish brown, ± compressed, smooth; margin with prominent rim Misc: Disturbed, sandy or clay soils; < 1750 m. Notes: 3-10 flowers in a cluster.Calyx fused at the base, hairy.2 hair sizes; one on the tipe of sepals, the other on the hypanthium. References: Kearney & Peebles; Arizona Flora. Hickman, ed.; The Jepson Manual. ASU specimans