Common Name: Wingpod purslane
Wingpod purslane is a short lived annual of American origin. The plant grows to a height of about 10 cm or sometimes appear prostrate. Wingpod purslane is often planted in Tamilnadu and can be seen in house gardens and parks. It quickly covers the ground producing attractive flowers. Flowers come in various colors- mostly seen in yellow or red color. The flowers open up in the morning and close out by afternoon. The plant is succulent, fleshy and the stem of the plant is whitish-purple in color. The simple leaves are arranged in an alternate manner; leaves are fleshy, flat, obovate or spoon shaped. The sessile leaf measure around 2 cm in length. The inflorescence is a short cyme with 1-3 flowers. The calyx is five parted and green in color and measure around 1.7 cm. The flowers measure around 2.6 cm across and has five distinct petals. The petals are obovate in shape and measure around 1.3 cm each. The flower contains several stamens and a single style. The fruit is in the form of a winged capsule containing several tiny seeds. The leafs are edible and can be consumed raw or cooked.
