South-Indian Purslane is a spearding herb, about 10 cm
high; branches angled; internodes very short, about 2 mm. It is quite
similar to the more widespread
Chicken Weed. Leaves are about 4 x 2.7
mm, heart-shaped to ovate-lanceshaped, pointed at tip, enveloped by
large silvery scales covering Internodes, falling off; scales about 4 x
2 mm, triangular to ovate, pointed, membranous. Yellow flowers are
borne 2-7 in head-like clusters at branch-ends, subtended and
surrounded by hairs and scales. Petals are 4, about 2.8 x 1.7 mm,
elliptic. Stamens are 10; filaments about 0.8 mm long, styles about 2-3
mm long, ending in 3-6 arms. Sepals are about 3 x 3.3 mm. Capsules are
about 2 mm in diameter, spherical. South-Indian Purslane is common
along sandy coasts, in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,
Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka and parts of Africa. Flowering: July-October.
Identification credit: S. Kasim
Photographed in Radhapuram, Tamilnadu.
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The flower labeled South-Indian Purslane is ...