Ludwigia palustris (Linnaeus) Elliott. Section: Isnardia. Common name: Common Water-purslane. Phenology: May-Nov. Habitat: In a wide range of natural and altered moist to wet, disturbed areas, such as ditches, marshes, swamps, saturated firelanes and other wet sandy areas. Often in areas with some standing water, at least seasonally. Distribution: Widespread in North America, West Indies, Mexico, Central America, South America, Central Eurasia, Africa, and Asia.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, FNA10, GrPl, GW2, K4, Meso4.1, Mex, Mi, Mo3, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, Wagner, Hoch, & Raven (2007); = Isnardia palustris L. — S, S13; > Ludwigia lacustris Eames — F; > Ludwigia palustris (L.) Elliott var. americana (DC.) Fernald & Griscom — F, G, Il, Tat, WV; > Ludwigia palustris (L.) Elliott var. nana Fernald & Griscom — F, Tat. Basionym: Isnardia palustris L. 1753
Links to other floras: = Ludwigia palustris - FNA10
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
- Great Plains: OBL
- Midwest: OBL
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 7
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Sprawling, mat-forming perennial of moist to wet disturbed areas; plants seem to float in shallow water.
Stems: Stems somewhat succulent, reddish, smooth to slightly hairy, rooting at nodes.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, winged-petiolate, oval to elliptic with a blunt tip, to 1 1/2 in. long, often reddish-green, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers borne in the leaf axils, greenish-white, tiny, lacking petals but with 4 triangular sepals and 4 noticeable white-tipped stamens above a cube-shaped, 4-angled ovary.
Fruits: Fruit a tiny pale-green, cube-shaped capsule with darker green stripes on the angles and persistent sepals at the top.
Comments:
Height: 3-12 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Sprawling, mat-forming perennial of moist to wet disturbed areas; plants seem to float in shallow water.
stems: Stems somewhat succulent, reddish, smooth to slightly hairy, rooting at nodes.
leaves: Leaves opposite, winged-petiolate, oval to elliptic with a blunt tip, to 1 1/2 in. long, often reddish-green, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers borne in the leaf axils, greenish-white, tiny, lacking petals but with 4 triangular sepals and 4 noticeable white-tipped stamens above a cube-shaped, 4-angled ovary.
fruits: Fruit a tiny pale-green, cube-shaped capsule with darker green stripes on the angles and persistent sepals at the top.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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