Pectis prostrata is a summer blooming annual plant

Annual plant

An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...

 of the genus pectis

Pectis

Pectis is a genus of plants in the daisy family known generally as cinchweeds in current usage. Older books call them "chinchweeds." Pectis is native to the Americas, including the Caribbean...

. The development of roads and highways has created ideal habitats for pectis prostrata. Its range is expanding along the coasts of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, it was recently discovered in Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. It is expected to spread along the Gulf Coast and also northward along the Atlantic Coast

East Coast of the United States

The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

. Autogamy has assisted pectis prostrata

Pectis prostrata

Pectis prostrata is a summer blooming annual plant of the genus pectis. The development of roads and highways has created ideal habitats for pectis prostrata. Its range is expanding along the coasts of Florida, it was recently discovered in Louisiana. It is expected to spread along the Gulf Coast...

to spread rapidly as suitable new habitats have become available.