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| Common purslane - Portulaca oleracea L. | |||||||||
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Life cycle: Prostrate, mat-forming summer annual. Leaves: Cotyledons are oblong, hairless and succulent. Cotyledons and young leaves are maroon-tinted on the undersides. Thick, fleshy, succulent leaves are hairless, spatula-shaped and about 1 inch long or less. Leaves are alternate but appear opposite and are often crowded near the stem tips. Stems: Prostrate, purplish red or green stems have multiple branches that form circular mats. Stems are thick, fleshy, succulent and hairless and up to 20 inches long. Flowers and fruit: Small, yellow, star-shaped flowers with five petals are produced in the leaf axils, opening only on sunny mornings. Fruit are egg-shaped capsules that split around the middle, scattering many tiny, black, shiny seeds. Reproduction: Seeds. |
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Updated: 4/08/08