Lythrum portula
Lythrum portula | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Lythraceae |
Genus: | Lythrum |
Species: | L. portula
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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
- ^ "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Lythrum portula". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 22 December 2015.