Leaves spatulate or ovate in shape, fleshy. Leaves 0.5-4 cm long, with the outer tip either obtuse (blunt) or emarginate (slightly notched), entire (not toothed) and glabrous (smooth), sessile (without a petiole), arranged oppositely. Leaves often arch backward a small degree. Flowers are small (~ 0.8-1 cm across), solitary, sessile or nearly so (no pedicel or stem), carried in the leaf axils, 5 pointed petals iceplant-pink or lavendar, many stamens, sepals have dry thin margins. Flowers April to November. Fruit a conic capsule ~0.5 cm high, seeds are shiny black ~1 mm long. Plant is a freely branching, low-growing perennial herb, ~10-50 cm tall. Not common. Found in dry areas or the margins of saline wetlands.
Sesuvium verrucosum (Aizoaceae): sea-purslane or Western sea- purslane
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography, introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various editions of this key.