Portulaca tuberosa Roxb., [Hort. Beng. 91. 1814, nom. nud.] Fl. Ind. 2: 464. 1832; Dyer in Fl. Brit. India 1: 246. 1874. P. suffruticosa Wallich ex Wight & Arn., Prodr. 356. 1834; Dyer in Fl. Brit. India 1: 247. 1874. P. pilosa L. subsp.pilosa 'race' tuberosa Geesink in Blumea 17: 296. 1969 & in Steenis, Fl. Males. 1, 7: 1978. P. pilosa L. var. tuberosa (Roxb.) Sivarajan in J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 78: 259. 1981.

Perennial herbs, erect or decumbent, ca 5 m high, with thick tuberous root. Leaves spiral, 4 - 28 x 0.5 - 5 mm, oblong, obtuse or rounded at apex, axillary hairs 1 - 18 mm long. Flowers solitary or 2 - 4 in capituli, subtended by an involucre of 3 - 8 cauline leaves. Sepals ecarinate, 2 - 6 x 1 - 4 mm. Petals 4 - 6, bright yellow, 2.5 - 12 x 1.8 - 11 mm, obovate, spreading. Stamens 10 - 25; filaments 1 - 5 mm long. Styles 3 - 5 armed. Capsules 2 - 3 mm in diam., ovoid-globose; operculum 1/2 to 2/3 the length of capsule, shining.

Distrib. India: On rocky laterite soils and sandy coasts. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands.

Pantropical.

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