Moehringia lateriflora is a perennial herb; colonial from widely creeping, thread-like rhizomes, stems to 40 cm long, very fine, with backward-pointing hairs.
Leaves opposite, narrowly elliptic, to 5 cm long, 0.8 cm wide, hairy, sprinkled with tiny translucent dots, tip blunt to pointed.
Flowers white, petals 5, to 0.6 cm long, sepals to 0.3 cm; inflorescence of loose clusters of 1-5 flowers on a thin stalk to 3 cm long; blooms May-Aug..
Fruit dry, hollow, a 6-valved capsule to 0.5 cm long, seeds 0.1 cm smooth, shiny, with a tiny pale appendage.
Wetland status: UPL.
Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent.
Origin: Native.
Habitat: Stony slopes, woods.