Phyllanthus tenellus is a herbaceous plant in the leafflower family, Phyllanthaceae.

[3] It is often a weed in flower beds, gardens, roadsides, and other disturbed areas.

It was originally published in William Roxburgh's 1814 Hortus Bengalensis[4] (as a nomen nudum) and later validated in his 1832 Flora Indica.

[5][6] It has two accepted varieties:[2][7] In addition to the Mascarene Islands, P. tenellus is possibly also native to eastern Africa, other western Indian Ocean islands, and the Arabian Peninsula.

[3] It has become a naturalized weed in tropical and subtropical areas, including Australia, Mexico, South America, Eastern North America (from Florida to Virginia west to California), as well as Mediterranean region, parts of Asia and the West Indies.