Sesuvium portulacastrum
Sesuvium maritimum
cencilla, shoreline sea-purslane
annual sea-purslane, slender sea-purslane
prostrate, forming mats to 2 m diam., branched; rooting at nodes.
prostrate to ascending, usually copiously branched, 1–4 dm;
not rooting at nodes.
petiole ± absent;
blade oblanceolate to elliptic-ovate, to 6 × 2.5 cm, tapered to clasping base.
petiole clasping;
blade spatulate to ovate, 1–2.5 cm, base tapering.
flowers solitary;
pedicel to 20 mm.
flowers usually solitary;
pedicel usually absent or to 1 mm.
calyx lobes pink-purple adaxially, with subapical abaxial appendages, ovate to lanceolate, 3–10 mm;
stamens 30;
pistil 5-carpellate;
ovary 5-loculed;
styles 5.
calyx lobes pink or purple adaxially, with subapical abaxial appendages, ovate, 3 mm;
stamens 5;
pistil 2–3-carpellate;
ovary 2–3-loculed;
styles 2–3.
conic, 10 mm.
ovoid, 4–5 mm.
30–60, black, 1.2–1.5 mm, shiny, smooth.
30–50, blackish brown, 1 mm, iridescent, smooth.
Sesuvium portulacastrum
Sesuvium maritimum
Sesuvium portulacastrum is a widespread and variable subtropical and tropical species to which many names have been applied, particularly to material collected beyond North America (e.g., Argentina and Brazil). Although S. portulacastrum occurs or has been reported in natural habitats on the east coast of North America north to North Carolina, and from ballast north to the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, there are no verified records for this species occurring in western North America north of Mexico, where it occurs northward along the coasts of Sonora and Baja California. All records or collections of S. portulacastrum from desert wetlands of the United States are included in S. verrucosum.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Sesuvium maritimum is often overlooked in coastal environments, perhaps due to the small size of some individuals, particularly in the northern portions of its distribution. Nonetheless, this species appears to be infrequent (and possibly in decline) in coastal environments of northern states (e.g., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York), where development of the coast has impacted sensitive environments. This species is also present in Kansas and Oklahoma but its distribution in those states is currently not well known.
The name Sesuvium sessile Persoon has been misapplied to this species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
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WildflowerSearch
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USDA Plants Database
KS Wildflowers
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