Rubiaceae

Virginia buttonweed

Diodia virginiana L.

Family: Rubiaceae
Genus: Diodia

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Virginia buttonweed: Virginia buttonweed (Diodia virginiana) is an easily overlooked "weedy" appearing plant but up close it's 10mm flowers are interesting and fuzzy! This one is gr — Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (3)

Chinese: 双角草, 維州鈕扣草, 大钮扣草, 维州钮扣草
English: Virginia buttonweed, Harper's buttonweed
Malayalam: ഡിയോഡിയ വിർജീനിയാന

Synonyms

Diodia harperi Small
Diodia hirsuta Pursh
Diodia hispida Muhl. ex DC.
Diodia oblonga Raf.
Diodia tetragona Walter
Diodia virginiana f. hirsuta (Pursh) Fernald
Diodia virginiana f. virginiana
Diodia virginiana var. attenuata Fernald
Diodia virginiana var. hirsuta (Pursh) Torr. & A.Gray
Diodia virginiana var. latifolia Torr. & A.Gray
Diodia virginiana var. linnaei Torr. & A.Gray
Diodia virginiana var. virginiana
Spermacoce virginiana (L.) A.Rich.

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Lifespan: Annual, Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native

Photos

Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Jomegat, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: homeredwardprice, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Diodia

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.