Succulent, prostrate to decumbent annual, herb, to 0.2 m high. Fl. yellow, Apr to May. Clay loam, sand. Often disturbed sites.
Beard’s Provinces: Eremaean Province, Northern Province, South-West Province.
IBRA Regions: Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Central Kimberley, Coolgardie, Dampierland, Esperance Plains, Gascoyne, Geraldton Sandplains, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Jarrah Forest, Little Sandy Desert, Mallee, Murchison, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara, Swan Coastal Plain, Tanami, Victoria Bonaparte, Yalgoo.
IBRA Subregions: Ashburton, Augustus, Avon Wheatbelt P1, Cape Range, Carnegie, Central, Chichester, Eastern Goldfield, Eastern Murchison, Fitzgerald, Fitzroy Trough, Fortescue, Geraldton Hills, Hamersley, Lateritic Plain, Mackay, McLarty, Mount Eliza, Northern Jarrah Forest, Ord, Ord-Victoria Plains P1, Pentecost, Perth, Pindanland, Roebourne, Rudall, Southern Jarrah Forest, Tallering, Tanami P1, Trainor, Victoria Bonaparte P1, Western Mallee, Western Murchison, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions: Canning, Central West Coast, Kimberley, Northwest Shelf, Pilbara (nearshore), Pilbara (offshore), Shark Bay.
Local Government Areas (LGAs): Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Coolgardie, Cue, Derby-West Kimberley, East Pilbara, Exmouth, Gingin, Gosnells, Greater Geraldton, Halls Creek, Harvey, Karratha, Meekatharra, Menzies, Murchison, Narembeen, Ngaanyatjarraku, Northampton, Nungarin, Port Hedland, Ravensthorpe, Sandstone, Shark Bay, Upper Gascoyne, West Arthur, Wiluna, Wyndham-East Kimberley, Yalgoo.
Alternative Names. Common Purslane, Purslane.
General Biology. Growth form. Herb. Life form. Annual. Reproduction. Seed, occasionally stem fragments. Dispersal. Wind, water soil, birds. Toxicity. Can be poisonous to mammals. Seedbank persistence. 40 years.
Notes. A variable plant across Australia that may include native and introduced forms. Widely naturalised. Thrives in temperate and tropical regions. Most seed germinates in autumn. Dense colonies can appear after rain, particularly in inland areas. Moderately tolerant of salinity. Will shoot from stem fragments under moist conditions.
Additional information. History of use/introduction. Human food, forage, medicines.
Suggested method of management and control. Hand remove before flowering. Otherwise spot spray 0.5% glyphosate. Read the manufacturers' labels and material safety data sheets before using herbicides. For further information consult the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to determine the status of permits for your situation or state.
| Calendar Type | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germination | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Active Growth | Y | Y | O | O | Y | ||||||||
| Flowering | Y | Y | Y | Y | |||||||||
| Fruiting | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Manual Removal | Y | Y | |||||||||||
| Herbicide Treatment | Y | Y | Y |
Legend: Y = Yes, regularly, O = Occasionally, U = Uncertain, referred by others but not confirmed.
FloraBase is produced by the staff of the Western Australian Herbarium, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Publication or other use of content on this site is unauthorised unless that use conforms with the copyright statement.
Western Australian Herbarium (1998–). FloraBase—the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/