Ludwigia palustris (L.) Elliott
water-purslane (marsh seedbox)
Onagraceae (Evening Primrose family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
water-purslane (marsh seedbox)
Onagraceae (Evening Primrose family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb, floating or matted; stems prostrate or ascending, 10-50 cm long, rooting at nodes, well branched, succulent, glabrous.
Leaves:
Opposite, narrowly elliptic or egg-shaped, 2-6 cm long, tapered gradually to broad stalks that are about same length, entire.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of several pairs of unstalked flowers, 1 flower per axil of upper leaves; petals lacking; sepals 4, egg-shaped, about 2 mm long, greenish, persistent; stamens 4; anthers 0.2-0.4 mm long, longer than filaments; stigmas globe-shaped.
Fruits:
Capsules, 2.5-4 mm long, 4-sided, oblong, top-shaped above, with 2 tiny bracts at base; seeds numerous, glabrous, 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Green
Blooming Period:
Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Yellow
Present from Summer to Fall
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Ludwigia palustris
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
|||
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
|||
|
Aspect (degrees) |
0 | ||
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
|||
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
|||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
3 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CWH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CWH(3) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Wet streamsides and lakeshores in the lowland zone; infrequent on S Vancouver Island and the lower Fraser valley; E to NB and S to FL and MX; Africa, Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Isnardia palustris L., non Jussiaea palustris G. Mey.
Ludwigia palustris var. americana (DC.) Fernald & Grisc.
Ludwigia palustris var. nana Fernald & Grisc.
Ludwigia palustris var. pacifica Fernald & Grisc.