Portulaca pilosa
Portulaca biloba
chisme, kiss-me-quick
Cuban purslane
prostrate, suberect to erect, succulent;
trichomes conspicuous at nodes and in inflorescence;
branches 3–25 cm.
prostrate to suberect, somewhat woody toward base;
trichomes sparse at nodes, sparse to moderate in inflorescence;
branches to 25 cm.
blades linear to oblong-lanceolate, terete to hemispheric, 5–20 × 1–3 mm, apex acute; involucrelike leaves 6–9.
blades linear to lanceolate, terete, 6–14 × 0.5–3 mm, apex obtuse; involucrelike leaves 5–7.
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).
20–25 mm diam.;
petals connate basally, purple-red, narrowly obovate-cuneate, 10–12 × 6–9 mm, apex deeply 2-lobed;
stamens 40 or more;
stigmas 4–6(–7).
ovoid, 1.5–4.3 mm diam.
subglobose, 2.5–5 mm diam.
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.
gray, 0.7–0.8 mm diam.;
surface cells mostly stellate, tuberculate.
= 8, 16.
= 18.
Portulaca pilosa
Portulaca biloba
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.)
Portulaca biloba, previously known only from Cuba, is presently known from five sites in three Georgia counties. The infrequency of chasmogamous flowers suggests that it is “out of habitat.” The earliest collection is from 1965, but the date of its first introduction to the United States is unknown. One theory of introduction suggests seeds brought in by tropical storms (J. F. Matthews et al. 1991).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
KS Wildflowers
LA Plants
MO Plants
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
