About Diodia virginiana L.
Diodia virginiana L. is a spreading, matted perennial plant with opposite leaves. The foliage is often mottled due to a virus that infects the plant. Its leaves measure 2 to 7 centimeters (about 0.8 to 2.8 inches) long, and are typically 4 to 12 millimeters wide. The flowers are white, cross-shaped with four petals. Fruits are green and often float on water. This species can become a nuisance weed; it is difficult to eradicate because underground plant parts remain behind when the plant is pulled. Diodia virginiana is native to Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico, Connecticut, and the south-central and southeastern United States. It is found in every state along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts from Texas to New Jersey, as well as all states in the Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys and the southern Great Plains. The species is also naturalized in Japan, Taiwan, and northern California. It grows in habitats including marsh edges, savanna margins, and low fields.
