Miners Lettuce - introduced (*Claytonia perfoliata)

Other names: Montia perfoliata.

Family: Portulacaceae (Purslane family).

Native of North America.

Occurrence: Scattered environmental weed. It may be locally abundant.

Identification:

• the leaves are rounded and encircle the stem
• it is a small plant, to about 10 cm
• the flowers are small and white.

It is a short-lived annual and dies down in summer. The unusual leaves make this a distinctive plant. It has been used as a salad vegetable, and was reputed to have been introduced to Australia by the Californian miners.

Photo 1: Miners Lettuce. Mt Alexander.

2: Dense patch of seedling leaves. These have not yet developed the rounded, stem-clasping leaves. 3: Miners Lettuce with adult leaves.

4,5: Miners Lettuce. Photos 2-5: Castlemaine Botanic gardens.