Portulaca halimoides
Portulaca pilosa
desert portulaca, purslane, silkcotton purslane
chisme, kiss-me-quick
prostrate to suberect, often pinkish, succulent;
trichomes conspicuous at nodes and in inflorescence;
branches to 3–20(–25) cm.
prostrate, suberect to erect, succulent;
trichomes conspicuous at nodes and in inflorescence;
branches 3–25 cm.
blades linear to oblong-linear, terete to hemispheric, 2–14(–20) × 0.4–2(–3) mm, apex obtuse to acute; involucrelike leaves 4–8.
blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, terete to hemispheric, 5–20 × 1–3 mm, apex acute; involucrelike leaves 6–9.
3–8 mm diam.;
petals yellow, obovate, 2–4 × 1–2.5 mm;
stamens 4–18;
stigmas 3–4(–5).
5–12 mm diam.;
petals dark pink to purple, obovate, 3–5(–7) × 1.5–3 mm;
stamens 5–12(–37);
stigmas 3–5(–6).
ovoid, 1.1–2 mm diam.
ovoid, 1.5–4.3 mm diam.
gray or leaden, 0.3–0.5(–0.6) mm diam.;
lateral surfaces with densely arranged, flattened, stellate cells, tubercles absent; usually with a smooth, occasionally papillose, spine abaxially.
black or leaden, orbiculate (0.4–)0.5–0.6 mm diam.;
surface cells loosely arranged, short-tuberculate and stellate to rounded-stellate;
tubercles long or absent.
= 18.
= 8, 16.
Portulaca halimoides
Portulaca pilosa
Young plants of Portulaca halimoides in desert areas may exhibit reddish stems and sepals. As the yellow petals fade, the persistent, reddish sepals cover the top of the capsule, giving the false impression of red flowers. Immature seeds are reddish brown to brownish black and may be papillose. Morphologic variability occurs in relation to habitat differences over the range of this species. Desert conditions produce depauperate plants; more robust specimens occur in Central America and South America. The type of P. halimoides is conspecific with P. parvula A. Gray within this context. A. Gray (1887) cited P. halimoides from the Florida Keys; that is unconfirmed and is likely a confusion with P. rubricaulis.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Portulaca pilosa is a highly variable species. It exhibits morphologic variability during development, with immature plants having wider (to 4 mm), longer, and flatter leaves than mature specimens. Mature leaves are narrower, shorter, and hemispheric or terete in cross section. The Linnaean drawing of the type specimen may be an immature plant. Morphologic variability also occurs in relation to habitat differences over the large geographic range of this species. Plants growing in dry habitats have the greatest density of hairs; plants growing in moist habitats are less pilose. Plants with very dense hairs on old growth will, under more moist conditions, produce new growth with fewer hairs. Growth habit is also affected by habitat. Plants growing in warm, moist environments tend to branch quickly into a spreading habit, with erect growth following secondarily. Plants in cool, dry habitats grow erect first, then branch more slowly; the plant then has a compact habit. Specimens from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas exhibit all morphologic conditions. Those from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma usually occur in shallow, sandy soils, often on rocky outcrops, and are often highly branched, compact, short, and not very pilose.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database
KS Wildflowers
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