Lythrum portula

Lythrum portula is a species of flowering plant in the loosestrife family known by the common names water-purslane^[1] and spatulaleaf loosestrife.^[2] It is native to Europe, and it is found in parts of western North America as an introduced species. It often grows in moist habitat, such as marshes.

Lythrum portula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Lythraceae
Genus:	Lythrum
Species:	L. portula
Binomial name
Lythrum portula (L.) D.A.Webb
Synonyms
Peplis portula L.

This is a prostrate annual herb producing a hairless, reddish stem up to 25 centimeters long, which lies along the ground and roots where its nodes come in contact with wet earth. The slightly fleshy, spoon-shaped leaves are about a centimeter long and greenish to reddish in color. Solitary flowers occur in leaf axils. Flowers often have white or pink petals about a millimeter long, but some lack petals. The fruit is a spherical capsule containing minute seeds.