Portulaca tuberosa - Tuberous Purslane

Tuberous Purslane is a perennial, prostrate, spreading branched, fleshy, hairless, herb. Branches are straggling, 4-15 cm long with 2-3 mm long internodes. Root is tuberous, somewhat spindle-shaped, 5-8 cm long. Leaves are alternate, stalkless to nearly so, linear or linear-lanceshaped, 8-14 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, fleshy, pointed. Flowers are borne in a small, stalkless cluster of 2-3 flowers subtended by 6-8 leaved involucre. Flowers are about 1 cm across, pale yellow to pinkish, surrounded by ring of bracteate hairs akin to stipular hairs. Petals are 5, united at the base, lanceshaped, 6-7 mm long, about 2 mm broad, pointed, pale yellow to pink. Stamens are more than 20, fused at the base into a ring, adnate to petals at the base, slightly unequal; filaments thread-like, 3-4 mm long; anthers ovoid. Sepals are membranous, not keeled, united at the base, narrow to broad ovate, 4-5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm broad, pointed. Capsules are almost spherical, about 4 mm in diameter. Tuberous Purslane is found in the Indian subcontinent to N Australia. Flowering: July-October.