Plant Name
Scientific Name: Portulaca umbraticola
Common Names: Wingpod Purslane, Crownpod Purslane
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Annual
Growth Habit: Herb/Forb
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert (upper elevation), Upland, Riparian
Flower Color: Orange and yellow, Red and yellow, Hot pink and yellow, Solid yellow
Flowering Season: Summer. This plant blooms after the summer monsoon rains have begun.
Height: To 10 inches (25 cm) tall
Description: The flowers are 2/3 inch (1.5 cm) across and have 5 rounded petals with yellow at their base. The flowers are followed by lidded seed capsules that are encircled by crown-like, pale green, translucent, membranaceous wings. The leaves are green, succulent, and linear to spatulate in shape. The stems are fleshy, hairless, often reddish in color, and prostrate, ascending, or erect. The roots are fibrous.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Caryophyllidae
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Portulacaceae – Purslane family
Genus: Portulaca L. – purslane
Species: Portulaca umbraticola Kunth – wingpod purslane
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