Portulaca lutea Sol. ex G.Forst.

Herb, up to 70(?) cm. Leaves spirally arranged to subopposite, obovate to orbicular, up to c. 30 mm long, not translucent in the dried state, with up to 6 mm long axillary hairs. Capituli 1-6-flowered. Flowers surrounded by up to 4 by 2 mm long bracteoles and up to c. 2 mm long hairs. Sepals suborbicular up to c. 9 mm long, fleshy in centre, with an up to 4 by 1½ mm long, dorsal, apical keel. Petals 5, broadly obovate to obovate, up to c. 10 mm, emarginate to mucronate, yellow. Stamens 18-c. 50; filaments up to c. 4 mm; anthers up to c. 0.7 by ½ mm, at least occasionally red. Style up to c. 5 mm with (4-)5 arms. Fruit ± ovate, c. 7 by 5 mm; operculum ⅔ as high as the fruit, shining, straw-yellow. Seeds ∞, up to c. 1 mm ø; testa cells stellulate, flat, convex, whether or not with tubercles or spines.

A tropical plant. They are common on atolls. It grows near sea level on sand or coral beaches. It grows from sea level to 40 m above sea level.

It is eaten as a vegetable.

Plants can be grown from seeds. It can also be grown from tip cuttings 5-10 cm long. These form roots in about 2 weeks.