Lythrum portula
| Lythrum portula | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Lythraceae |
| Genus: | Lythrum |
| Species: | L. portula
|
| Binomial name | |
| Lythrum portula | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Peplis portula L. | |
Lythrum portula is a species of flowering plant in the loosestrife family known by the common names water-purslane[1] and spatulaleaf loosestrife.[2] It is native to Europe, and it is found in parts of western North America as an introduced species. It often grows in moist habitat, such as marshes.
This is a prostrate annual herb producing a hairless, reddish stem up to 25 centimeters long, which lies along the ground and roots where its nodes come in contact with wet earth. The slightly fleshy, spoon-shaped leaves are about a centimeter long and greenish to reddish in color. Solitary flowers occur in leaf axils. Flowers often have white or pink petals about a millimeter long, but some lack petals. The fruit is a spherical capsule containing minute seeds.
References
[edit]- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ NRCS. "Lythrum portula". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 22 December 2015.