ID Characteristics
This plant is in the Nyctaginaceae - the four o'clock family.
Coulter spiderling is usually considered to be an annual, though some references list it as a perennial. It can range in height from 6 inches to 2.5 feet. This erect plant has leaves mainly at the base, with fewer, smaller leaves on the divided flower stalks. Shoots may spread horizontally for several inches before turning upward.
The stems are covered with short hairs and are sticky to the touch. Stems near the base of the plant may be tinged with red.
Leaves are opposite, one smaller than the other. A side shoot may grow from the base of the smaller leaf. The leaves are somewhat triangular, longer than wide (2+ inches long but less than an inch wide) with just slightly wavy edges, sometimes edged in red. Smaller leaves near the flower stalk are less triangular, more oblong, and smaller. Like the stems, the leaves are sticky to the touch.
The flowers are held in an elongated cluster (1/2-2 inches in length), sometimes separated from each other, sometimes clustered. The pale pink flowers are small, only 1/16 inch wide, and have 5 fused petals that may be a darker pink at the base or have darker pink stripes.
The fruit is not much longer than the flower and has 5 ridges.