Portulaca quadrifida
L., Mant. Pl. 1: 73.1767; Dyer in Fl. Brit. India 1: 247.1874.
Beng.: Nuniya, Chota luniya; Hindi: Chounlayi, Chotalunia, Lomiya, khate chawal;
Guj.: Luni, Jhiniluni; Kan.: Gooni Soppu, Hali dajjili, Hali bachchdi; Mal.: Neelakeera,'
Mar.: Khatechanval, Ranghol; Sans.: Laghulonina, Uppadyki; Tam.: Chinnaparuppuldrai, Taraipsalai,Sirupasalai.
Much branched herbs; branches up to 10 cm long, creeping, profusely rooting at nodes; nodes with a whorl of dense silvery white, ca 5 mm long hairs. Leaves fleshy, 0.6 - 20 x 0.8 - 7 mm, elliptic-cordate to ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, entire. Flowers solitary, terminal on an infundibular receptacle, subtended by four leaves and encircled by hairs. Sepals ca 3 long. Petals 4, yellow, ca 5 x 4 mm, obovate. Stamens 8 or 12; filaments 3.5 mm long. Styles cylindrical with (3 -) 4(- 5) arms. Capsules 3.5 - 5 x 3 mm, mm obovate-conical; operculum to nearly 2/3 the length of capsule, shining, straw-yellow. Seeds many, 0.8 - 1 mm in diam., dull black; testa cells elliptic, radially elongated, margins straight, surface converse or tubercled.
Fl. & Fr. Throughout the year.
Distrib. India: Ruderal, also in moist grasslands. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Pantropical (except Australia and Pacific, east of Samoa).
Notes. Very variable with regard to hairiness.
Much branched herbs; branches up to 10 cm long, creeping, profusely rooting at nodes; nodes with a whorl of dense silvery white, ca 5 mm long hairs. Leaves fleshy, 0.6 - 20 x 0.8 - 7 mm, elliptic-cordate to ovate-lanceolate, acute at apex, entire. Flowers solitary, terminal on an infundibular receptacle, subtended by four leaves and encircled by hairs. Sepals ca 3 long. Petals 4, yellow, ca 5 x 4 mm, obovate. Stamens 8 or 12; filaments 3.5 mm long. Styles cylindrical with (3 -) 4(- 5) arms. Capsules 3.5 - 5 x 3 mm, mm obovate-conical; operculum to nearly 2/3 the length of capsule, shining, straw-yellow. Seeds many, 0.8 - 1 mm in diam., dull black; testa cells elliptic, radially elongated, margins straight, surface converse or tubercled.
Fl. & Fr. Throughout the year.
Distrib. India: Ruderal, also in moist grasslands. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Pantropical (except Australia and Pacific, east of Samoa).
Notes. Very variable with regard to hairiness.
