Flora of New Zealand Series

purslane

Glabrous taprooted annual herb. Stems reddish, prostrate to ascending, (5)-10-30-(45) cm long. Lvs alternate to subopposite, fleshy, shiny, often red-tinged, obovate to oblong, cuneately narrowed to a short petiole, obtuse to almost retuse, (5)-10-15-(30) × (2)-3-8-(10) mm; axillary hair-tufts short. Fls < 1 cm diam., (1)-3-(7) in sessile terminal clusters soon overtopped by subapical branches, subtended by membranous, ovate-acuminate, pinkish bracts. Sepals green, hooded, overlapping, fleshy, falling at fruiting, 5 mm long. Petals yellow, soon falling. Stamens 6-15; anthers yellow. Style branches 3-6. Capsule 3-7 mm long, ovoid, circumscissile. Seeds many, ovoid, shining, dark red-black, finely tuberculate, 1 mm long.

N.: throughout; S.: Nelson, Canterbury, Otago; K.

Europe, S.W. Asia 1869

Stony waste land, cultivated land, crops and gardens.