Sea Purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum) (Linnaeus, 1759) |
Synonyms: Aizoon canariense, A. montevidense, Halimus maritime, H. portulacastrum, Portulaca portulacastrum, Sesuvium acutifolium, Sesuvium edule, shoreline purslane, shoreline seapurslane, cencilla |
Sesuvium portulacastrum is a sprawling perennial herb growing in wet or dry soils on beaches, tidal flats, coastal dunes, and margins of salt marshes in the subtropical and tropical Americas, Africa, and Eurasia; 0-5 m above sea level. It has thick, smooth stems up to 1 m long, and may form thick mats. The leaves are succulent, oval, glossy green. The flowers are solitary, pink or purple. The seed capsules are conic, containing 30-60 black seeds. This species flowers year-round.